Seye Joseph
What the Nigeria Labour Congress has described as appalling, insensitive and greedy is latest decision of the Senate to acquire 108 Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps at 35.1 million for each of the 108 members of the senate after collecting car “loans” in August last year for the same purpose.
In a statement that was signed by the President of the Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba has it that it is shameful that the members of senate are doing this after publicly admitting that the standing committees of the Senate are unable to perform their statutory functions due to paucity of funds.
“We at the Nigeria Labour Congress equally consider it a willful and grievous criminal act, the inflation of the unit cost of each of the cars by over a 100 percent, as each car supposedly cost N35.1 million instead of N17 million.”
Wabba wants the Senate House to explain to Nigerians where they got the money for the purchase of these cars without any appropriation and described the defense offered by the Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, as laughable and childish.
“Couldn’t this have been put to better uses such as the constituency projects of these same Senators? At a time with severe economic challenges and deepening poverty in the land, can the Senate afford this level of reckless luxury and arrogance?”, he asked
He described their multiple acts of criminality, ranging from acquiring cars after previously taking loans for the same purpose; spending money without appropriation and over inflating costs constitute not just corruption but a crime against the Nigerian people whom they claim to represent.
He asked them to return the cars to whoever supplied them or the appropriate agencies will prosecute them for corruption.
“If In the event none of this happens, they should be prepared to keep a date with Nigerian workers and their civil society allies including market women and students”, he warned.
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