“Any person who contravenes the provisions of this Act shall on conviction be liable to a minimum of five years imprisonment or a minimum fine of N1m and shall also be removed from office.
“Unless otherwise authorised by an Appropriation Act or a resolution of the National Assembly, it shall be an offence under this Act for a person to spend or authorise the spending of public money or fund not appropriated in the Appropriation Act.”
Those were some of the provisions of a bill seeking to jail ministers and heads of government departments for spending outside statutory budget which is under way in the House of Representatives. The new bill is sponsored by Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa, and 24 others.
A section of the bill also prohibits the “spending of public money or fund on any project or purpose in a manner which contravenes any Act of the National Assembly or applicable financial regulation.”
If passed into law, the Act would also strengthen the National Assembly to prepare budget of the Central Bank Nigeria, CBN, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA and Nigerian Customs Service, NCS.
You may which to know that CBN, NPA and some other agencies generate funds and spend as much as they like without resorting to the National Assembly as prescribed in Section 80 of the 1999 Constitution.
If passed into law, the Act would also strengthen the National Assembly to prepare budget of the Central Bank Nigeria, CBN, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA and Nigerian Customs Service, NCS.
You may which to know that CBN, NPA and some other agencies generate funds and spend as much as they like without resorting to the National Assembly as prescribed in Section 80 of the 1999 Constitution.
House of Reps should clean their house first before talking any nonsense.
ReplyDeleteHon. Tony
I have hope in the ability of this house to deliver Nigerians from the bad governance going on where people just spend our money without considering the masses. OI
DeleteThat is the best decision coming from the parliament because extra-budgetary spending is the major route of corruption.
ReplyDeleteThis is a right decision at the right time, but wil the president assent the Bill? Mr president disappointed his supporters yesterday a lot. We must not shame away by sending PDP out in 2015.
ReplyDeletethen farouk should spend 50yrs then.bunch of idiots
ReplyDeleteThey are good in making laws but they don't implement those laws. Even if it becomes law will mr president accent to it? I will not be surprise if the bill hangs up in the chamber or at president's office without being accented to for the next three yrs. This is nigeria
ReplyDeleteJoseph, Lagos
Thank God 4 dis becs if it has been passed be4 2011, d issue of forciful removal of fuel subsidy would not hav occured since d constitution wouldn't hav allowed dem 2 spend beyond appropriated budget. Thank u our honourable reps.
ReplyDeleteContravention of the law could have attracted 10 yrs in jail or #50 million fine and be removed from office and banned from political appointment and party politics.
ReplyDeleteThe penalty is not heavy and should be reviewed upward.
Will the president accent to it if passed?
Contravention of the law could have attracted 10 yrs in jail or #50 million fine and be removed from office and banned from political appointment and party politics.
ReplyDeleteThe penalty is not heavy and should be reviewed upward.
Will the president accent to it if passed?