New investigations by the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) have revealed that the 469
members of the 8th national assembly have at
least 2,570 aides.
Out of the number, 700 aides work for lawmakers
in the senate, while the remaining 1,870 are
engaged by house of representatives members.
In addition to the regular aides, the principal
officers of both chambers have special
assistants, senior special assistants and special
advisers of varying numbers.
This category of aides, it was learnt, have a
monthly salary of a minimum of N950,000 but
was reduced to N400, 000 by the current
management of the assembly. All the aides are
paid from the coffers of the assembly.
As provided in the national assembly act, each
lawmaker, excluding principal officers, is entitled
to five aides – one senior legislative aide, two
legislative aides, a personal assistant and a
secretary.
It was discovered that in the provision, president
of the senate is entitled to 45 aides, his deputy
30 and 20 each for principal officers.
Similarly, speaker of the house of representatives
has 35 assistants, deputy speaker 15 and 10
each for the six principal officers.
The monthly emolument of the aides, which
ranged from N150,000 to N250,000, sources
close to the assembly said, has been reduced to
between N75,000 and N180,000 by the current
leadership of the assembly.However, NAN gathered that some of the
lawmakers, especially principal officers, have
more than the statutorily approved number of
aides in their employ, who also draw their salary
from the assembly’s funds.
Some lawmakers, however, pay the aides from
their own resources.
An aide to a senator from the south-west,
working with him in Abuja, told NAN that he had
never heard of other aides or office that his boss
has in his constituency.
“All of us, his aides are here; it is only when he
is travelling to the state that he goes with the
senior legislative aide and his younger brother,”
he said.
“The brother works with him; he is not
documented but he is in charge whenever oga
(the boss) is not around. But, all of us are
always in the office in Abuja; I do not know of
assistant or aide he has at the constituency level
or in the state.”
The source declined to disclose his salary,
allowance and pay point, but said the emolument
depended on the grade of the aide.
He, however, disclosed that the least paid aide
earned N120,000 from the assembly commission.
New investigations by the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) have revealed that the 469
members of the 8th national assembly have at
least 2,570 aides.
Out of the number, 700 aides work for lawmakers
in the senate, while the remaining 1,870 are
engaged by house of representatives members.
In addition to the regular aides, the principal
officers of both chambers have special
assistants, senior special assistants and special
advisers of varying numbers.
This category of aides, it was learnt, have a
monthly salary of a minimum of N950,000 but
was reduced to N400, 000 by the current
management of the assembly. All the aides are
paid from the coffers of the assembly.
As provided in the national assembly act, each
lawmaker, excluding principal officers, is entitled
to five aides – one senior legislative aide, two
legislative aides, a personal assistant and a
secretary.
It was discovered that in the provision, president
of the senate is entitled to 45 aides, his deputy
30 and 20 each for principal officers.
Similarly, speaker of the house of representatives
has 35 assistants, deputy speaker 15 and 10
each for the six principal officers.
The monthly emolument of the aides, which
ranged from N150,000 to N250,000, sources
close to the assembly said, has been reduced to
between N75,000 and N180,000 by the current
leadership of the assembly.However, NAN gathered that some of the
lawmakers, especially principal officers, have
more than the statutorily approved number of
aides in their employ, who also draw their salary
from the assembly’s funds.
Some lawmakers, however, pay the aides from
their own resources.
An aide to a senator from the south-west,
working with him in Abuja, told NAN that he had
never heard of other aides or office that his boss
has in his constituency.
“All of us, his aides are here; it is only when he
is travelling to the state that he goes with the
senior legislative aide and his younger brother,”
he said.
“The brother works with him; he is not
documented but he is in charge whenever oga
(the boss) is not around. But, all of us are
always in the office in Abuja; I do not know of
assistant or aide he has at the constituency level
or in the state.”
The source declined to disclose his salary,
allowance and pay point, but said the emolument
depended on the grade of the aide.
He, however, disclosed that the least paid aide
earned N120,000 from the assembly commission.
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