Sen. Foster Ogola, (PDP-Bayesla West) says the proposed purchase of vehicles by the National Assembly is not a waste of public funds contrary to misconception by some Nigerians.
Ogola told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday that the vehicles are for oversight functions by lawmakers.
He said that contrary to the belief of most Nigerians, federal lawmakers were not waste pipes.
Ogola said that rather than drain the country of its scarce resources, the National Assembly had contributed immensely to repositioning the economy and should not be criticised unnecessarily.
According to him, the legislature is not unmindful of the current economic situation, as the proposed purchase of vehicles for oversight functions is in the best interest of the country.
“Even what we have saved from TSA, over N40 billion, is enough to buy our cars and that is what we did with a stroke of the pen.
“Nobody knew to what extent we went within and outside the country to get the truth of that matter,” he said.
The lawmaker described the negative reactions to purchase of vehicles as worrisome, adding that while the National Assembly was asked to make sacrifices, other arms of government had fleet of cars for official functions.
“Go check the number of cars in ministers’ offices. Even Local Government chairmen have two, three cars; why are Nigerians only concerned about National Assembly members, I think it is wrong.
“As I speak to you, I have oversight function in three different states and some are as far as Sokoto and you expect me to use my own car that can crash on the road, it may not take me there.
“Directors-General of parastatals and permanent secretaries have official cars, why will it make a difference when senators or members of the House of Representatives have cars,” he said.
Ogola stressed the need for the media to properly sensitise the public about the activities of lawmakers to avoid hostility from Nigerians. (NAN)