Gen Buhari's ministers and lawmakers to get 9bn housing and furniture allowance

Senators and members of the House of
Representatives that will constitute the 8th
National Assembly and ministers to be appointed
by President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari
(retd.), will on assumption of office receive
welcome perks amounting to N9bn.
The perks of office include the housing allowance
which each of the incoming office holder is
entitled to receive once a year, the furniture
allowance which they are entitled to once in four
years and motor vehicle loan which they are
entitled to once in their tenure.
The perks are some of the non-regular allowances
that the political office holders are entitled to as
prescribed by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation
and Fiscal Commission.
There are other allowances, both regular and
irregular ones, but housing, furniture and motor
vehicle are paid at the beginning of the tenure of
the office holders to ensure that they settle down
appropriately.
Housing allowance for the political office holders
is 200 per cent of their annual salaries; furniture
is 300 per cent and motor vehicle loan is 400 per
cent.
The Senate President and the Deputy Senate
President are not entitled to this allowance
because their own accommodation is to be
provided by the Federal Government.
Similarly, each member of the House of
Representatives will be paid N3, 970,425 as
housing allowance on assumption of office.
This means that the 358 representatives will be
collecting a total of N1, 421,412,150 as housing
allowance. Again, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker
of the House of Representatives are excluded from
this allowance as the Federal Government is to
provide their own accommodation.
The principal officers of the National Assembly
also benefited from the sale of Government
houses. As a result, the Federal Capital Territory
Administration is at present building new houses
for the lawmakers that will emerge as the Senate
President, the Deputy Senate President, the
Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
For furniture, each of the senators is to get N6,
079,200. The furniture for both the Senate
President and his deputy are to be fully provided
by the government. This means that 107 senators
will get a total of N650, 474,400 as furniture
allowance. Furniture allowance is paid once in
four years.
Punch.