House Clears Air On Providing Vehicle For Members

Edited By Oduyemi Odumade

The House of Representatives has announced plans to provide all members with official vehicles in the coming weeks to assist with their oversight duties.

According to a statement in Abuja, by the Chairman House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Akin Rotimi, the vehicles are not for personal use nor gifts to the members.

He further explains that these vehicles are assigned to members during their tenure and must be returned after their term ends.

He also highlights that the purchase of operational vehicles is not exclusive to the legislature, as executive appointees also receive vehicles.

“The House of Representatives is monitoring a trending topic across multiple traditional and online media, concerning the allocation of vehicles to honourable members, and because this issue has understandably generated significant public interest, we believe Nigerians deserve feedback from their elected representatives.

“While many versions of this story carry varying exaggerations, we can confirm that the National Assembly bureaucracy is in the phased process of procuring and distributing operational vehicles to honourable members over the coming weeks and months.

“This development is in accordance with extant procurement laws and has been the practice in previous assemblies. It is also not peculiar to the Legislature, as unelected government officials in the Executive arm of government from the Director level and above, in most cases, have official vehicles attached to their offices.

He further explains that for the duration of the 10th assembly (2023 – 2027), the vehicles remains the property of the National Assembly. At the expiration of the tenure of the 10th Assembly in 2027, “should the extant assets deboarding policy of government still be in place, honourable members may have the option of making payment for the outstanding value of the vehicles to government coffers before they can become theirs, otherwise it remains the property of the National Assembly,” he said.

The Spokesperson of the House also informed the public that the lawmakers remain committed to reducing the cost of governance in line with present realities.

“Those willing to research further would find a significant body of work with evidence that the percentage of the component of the Legislature’s budget as part of our national budget has been on a downward trend over the past decade, despite inflation and the expanding role and relevance of honourable members in the lives of citizens. It currently stands at 0.5% of the Federal budget,” he claimed.

“Accordingly, as all stakeholders continue to advance the conversation about reducing the cost of governance, we encourage looking in the right direction, and not cause disaffection for honourable members who want to discharge their duties effectively and above board, without being susceptible to inducement when the enablement to function is impaired.