A Non Governmental Organization, NGO, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, has called for the scrapping of the Senate or the House of Representatives to cut the cost of governance and save money for infrastructural development.
The organization also recommended a slash of salaries of all lawmakers and political office holders to enable government save more money to provide services to Nigerians.
AAN gave these recommendations after a meeting of its Board of Trustees members in Abuja.
The board in a press release said it has met and reviewed happenings in government, economic and issues of security within the last quarter particularly as it affects the vulnerable groups; women, children, Persons With Disabilities, PwDs, and the youth.
They observed that cost of governance in Nigeria is disproportionately high relative to productivity and there is need for urgent action if government wants to improve the situation.
The board therefore recommended that the Senate or the House of Representatives should be scrapped as a bicameral legislature increases the cost of governance.
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“To cut running cost, Nigeria must reduce the number of ministries, departments and agencies as a matter of urgency. Government must also liaise with the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission, RMFAC, to slash salaries of all lawmakers and political office holders in order to save money for the infrastructural development of Nigeria eapecially now that funding the 2020 budget possed a huge challenge.
The board also observed that the current VAT collection system is ineffectual and porous while spending VAT proceeds and recurrent expenditure is counter productive.
According to them, the 2020 proposed budget has huge provision for debt servicing and does not address the high need for infrastructural development given the growing population.
“The volatile insecurity in different parts of the country, will make it very difficult for development programmes to be implemented if not promptly dealt with.”
The board therefore harped on the need for more consultation with stakeholders as the proposed VAT increase will hike inflation and put more economic burden on the masses saying rather than increase VAT, the broadening of the Nigerian tax base was better.
“We insist on the thorough appraisal of the current VAT regime and wants the federal government to account to the people on how the proceeds are spent
“The 2020 budget should capture adequate funding of agriculture, health and education sectors given their strategic importance.”
The NGO argued that agriculture employs up to 80 percent of the country’s population especially in the informal sector where the majority of the small scale food producers are the women farmers.
They also stated that the health sector requires improved funding saying “our health centers, maternities and hospitals lack basic essential facilities and drugs and evidence has shown that increased investment in these pro-poor sectors has strong impact on poverty and inequality reduction while simulteneously creating employment opportunities.”
