Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked Senate President Ahmad Lawan and the House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila to share the N37 billion naira for the renovation of the National Assembly complex to states and Abuja to tackle poverty.
In a letter dated 11 April, 2020 and signed by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization urged them to “immediately make a public commitment to redirect the N37 billion for the renovation of the National Assembly complex to give N1 billion to each of the 36 states, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, as COVID-19 direct reliefs and benefits to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people.”
The organisation said, “We applaud the patriotic steps and voluntary contributions already made by the National Assembly towards fighting COVID-19 in the country. We now urge you to make major strides to national efforts to deal with one of the greatest threats facing the country by immediately redirecting the N37 billion to provide direct and tangible benefits to the poorest and most vulnerable people among us.
“Nigeria is at a crossroads and National Assembly leaders and members must now decide whether to continue to look after themselves and do little for the country’s poorest or make commitment to redirect the N37 billion to help ameliorate the suffering caused by COVID-19 restrictions.”
