From: Bamidele Fashube
Following increasing demand to prune down N4.7 billion allocated for the purchase of utility vehicles for the National Assembly (NASS) in the 2016 budget, there are possibilities the 8th NASS may adopt made in Nigeria cars.
Last Assembly members went to Toyota Camry cars rather than SUV Prado Jeeps.
Chairman, House Committee of Capital Market, Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf speaking on Monday in Abuja stated that there was need to reduce cost considering current economic realities.
He said as long as the lawmakers strongly threw their weight to cut government expenditures, the NASS would also need vehicles to perform their constitutional duties.
The lawmaker who revealed that the 7th House decided to adopt toyota camry rather than Prado Jeeps, said budget for the NASS was being reduced annually.
“The moment you elect new lawmakers who have responsibilities of carrying out certain functions, you must provide vehicles for them. But what are the kind of cars we purchase?
“Leadership of the NASS and the Senate will understand this is not the time to buy cars that will massage anybody’s ego. It should be utility cars that would not be owned by members but NASS owned cars.”
On purchase of locally assembled cars, Yusuf said, “I know that the members of the National Assembly will sit and look into it. There will be a general House decision on the kind of cars and seek opinion of experts, which is more durable?
“As at now, we have not taken such decision.”
However, he lamented how democracy promote wastages such that every tiers of government must have their official budgetary allocation to service their operations.
Citing an instance, the lawmaker who was a member of House Service Committee in the 7th Assembly said all the 774 Local Government Chairmen in the country drive Prado Jeeps as their official car but Lawmakers, who are more superior to Ministers drove Toyota Camry.
He suggested raising a policy that would promote refurbishing vehicles used by past lawmakers, such as replacing the engine with a new one, rather than spending huge sum to buy new vehicles for new lawmakers.