National Assembly Underfunded – Reps Speaker, Abbas Asserts

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has asserted that the National Assembly is the least funded branch of the Nigerian government.

He expressed this viewpoint in Abuja on Wednesday during the unveiling of three legislative digital platforms created by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, with assistance from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Abbas, who was represented by Amadi Victor Obuzor, a member of the Ahoada West/Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Federal Constituency, emphasised that, contrary to popular opinion, the legislature faces significant financial constraints.

“Many Nigerians erroneously believe that the National Assembly is overfunded. Sadly, the National Assembly is the most underfunded arm of the government.

“I am pleased that most of the development partners have carried out assessments and investigations on the funding of the National Assembly and concluded that the legislature is underfunded.

“These digital platforms will provide an opportunity to address the issues in the National Assembly and perhaps change people’s perceptions of the institution,” he said.

The event showcased several platforms, including the PLAC Bills Track, the Legislative Agenda Tracker, and the Legislative Repository, all aimed at enhancing transparency and fostering citizen participation in legislative processes.

These platforms provide functionalities such as monitoring the advancement of bills, accessing complete legislative texts, and reviewing infographics and analyses.

The Deputy Executive Director of PLAC, Omolara Akinyeye, stated that these tools would enable users to track the progress of bills as they navigate through the legislative system.

The Executive Director of PLAC, Clement Nwankwo, emphasised that this initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen oversight, accountability, and public interaction with legislators.

Nwankwo said, “I know that legislators, as individuals, face huge demands from constituents, the public, and all the stakeholders involved in our democracy, but it is also very important that they do not lose sight of the key aspect of their work, which involves carrying out oversight, ensuring accountability, and responding to the demands of representation that citizens make on them.

“These platforms are important and have been created to enable us to share information on the different aspects of what we are doing.”