The House of Representatives has said it welcomes the request for a public hearing on the controversial jumbo pay of its members and senators by a former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili.
Ezekwesili had stated on Monday that the National Assembly consumed over N1.1tr. since 2005.
She spoke at a dialogue on the “cost of Governance in Nigeria”, where her comments dwelt on the controversial jumbo pay of national lawmakers.
Twenty-four hours later, the Senate and the House reacted, accusing her of blackmail.
They also alleged that she reeled out false figures that failed to capture other variables, including capital projects and the cost of running the bureaucracy of the legislature, among others.
On Wednesday, she moved a step further, challenging the National Assembly to a public hearing on the issue.
On Thursday, the House said it was ready for the challenge but added that the former minister had questions to answer.
A statement in Abuja by the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Victor Afam-Ogene, said because the legislature believed in transparency in governance, “the 7th House of Representatives wholeheartedly welcomes her request for a public hearing on the stated ideals.”
The statement observed that her comments dwelt more on the salaries and allowances of lawmakers, excluding other expenditure like capital projects and the cost of running the bureaucracy of the legislative institution.
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