Pointblanknews reports that the N10 billion meant for payment of Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) and severance benefits for hundreds of legislative aides who served in the 7th
assembly have been misappropriated with part of it already diverted into private pockets.
It was learnt that the management led by the Clerk of the National assembly, Mr. Salisu Maikasuwa and his cronies led by Mr. Bukoye Lasisi,
secretary of the finance and accounts committee connived together and diverted the money into other unapproved purposes once it was released by the Ministry of Finance.
Part of the money was also said to have been lodged in some commercial banks to generate interests meant for sharing by the top bureaucrats.
It was also gathered that the top bureaucrats were able to perpetuate the misappropriation and stealing with the connivance of senate president
Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara.
Sources told Pointblanknews.com that the management convinced the national assembly leadership to look the other because their interests were
“carried along” in the misappropriation and illegal sharing of the funds.
It will be recalled that President Buhari had included the sum of N10billion meant to pay the aides in the 2015 supplementary budget which
was passed by the lawmakers and signed into law.
The money was released by the ministry of finance shortly after subsidy claims which was the main reason for the supplementary budget, were paid to assuage the crunching petrol scarcity biting the nation at the time.
It was also gathered that the severance claims in question actually amounted to about N7billion but the national assembly padded the figure to
N10billion to “take care of themselves and some interests in the leadership.”
While the disengaged aides continue to wallow in frustration and hypertension the leadership and management of the national assembly have been offering excuses upon excuses why the DTA and severance has not been paid.
“At a time they even lied that the ministry of finance had not released the funds only for us to investigate and found out it was a lie,” said a
source.
Checks revealed that the aggrieved aides are putting finishing touches to a petition to be forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the matter.
They are also making moves to reach out to President Buhari to investigate the massive corruption and impunity going on in the national assembly for years on end.
Meanwhile, senators and members of the House of Representatives who the suffering aides served have since been paid their severance gratuities
once their tenure expired.