Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State yesterday urged the National Assembly to increase public confidence by shedding light on the salaries and allowances of lawmakers.
The governor made the recommendation while delivering the 55th inaugural lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN.
He said such transparency was necessary considering that “there is still the nagging question on lack of transparency and accountability in the operations of the National Assembly.”
Ugwuanyi, who spoke on the theme: “Legislation as an Instrument for Social Justice in a Growing Democracy”, said the dominant view was that there is an urgent need for the National Assembly to open up its legislative process and financial transactions, particularly the salaries and allowances of members to the scrutiny and input of the public.
He said “this will go a long way in correcting the pervading and largely false impression that the Assembly is a compromised institution, whose membership earns much and does so little.”
He identified the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Act, 2011, TET Fund, as the most empowering legislation that had, from its coming into force, propelled the development of infrastructural and human material resources in tertiary institutions across the country.
“This singular legislation has more than anything else in this decade facilitated the achievement or the fulfillment of the second or third generation rights to education, which in turn provides the superstructure for socioeconomic development.
“Reports of oversight visit to tertiary institutions from respective House committees on education over the years show that more than 60% of physical infrastructure was and is still being driven by the funds accessed from TET Fund,” he stated.
The governor equally noted that the myriads of challenges facing Nigeria, in the areas of security, poverty, unemployment, among others.
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