The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has revealed that the annual budget allocated to the National Assembly has remained stagnant for the past 13 years, despite the effects of inflation and its accompanying consequences.
In a courtesy visit with a delegation from the African Business Roundtable in Abuja on Wednesday, Speaker Abbas expressed his concern over the lack of increase in the budget, considering the rise in expenditures by the federal legislature within the same period. He further stated that at certain points, the National Assembly budget even decreased from what it was in 2011.
During the meeting, Speaker Abbas highlighted the efforts made by the 10th House to strengthen relationships between the Nigerian Parliament and other parliaments across the globe. The House had established over 60 parliamentary friendship committees aimed at enhancing these international connections. However, the Speaker emphasized the need for external support to ensure the efficient functioning of these committees.
“We welcome any cause that would lead to enhanced relationships with other parliaments. The House has already taken steps towards this by announcing the membership of 43 parliamentary friendship committees just last month. Two weeks ago, we increased the number to 65, and yesterday we included Serbia, bringing the total to 66,” Speaker Abbas stated.
He assured the delegation that the Nigerian House of Representatives is committed to engaging with them and discussed the significance of the meeting, highlighting its potential as a historic turning point for future reference.
Earlier in the conversation, Mr. Dotun Ajayi, the Executive Director (West Africa) of the African Business Roundtable, brought attention to the recent coup in Niger Republic and its implications on engagements between European countries and West Africa. He mentioned that France, in particular, had decided to cut all forms of assistance to West Africa as a result of the coup.
Ajayi urged the Nigerian Parliament to work closely with the President on this matter and proposed engaging the French Parliament and the European Union (EU). The EU has allocated 20 billion Euros for sub-Saharan Africa, and Ajayi expressed a desire for Nigeria to benefit from this assistance through increased engagement.
“We propose a partnership between the Nigerian Parliament and the European Union, as well as the French Parliament,” Ajayi suggested.
The Speaker acknowledged the importance of addressing this issue and assured the delegation of the House’s commitment to collaborating with the Nigerian President and relevant international bodies to secure Nigeria’s interests. The engagement between the Nigerian Parliament and the African Business Roundtable and their shared goals of strengthening international relationships were deemed paramount to Nigeria’s growth and development.
