JUST IN: SERAP Asks NASS To Stop FG From Selling Public Properties To Fund 2021 Budget

By Daniel Dafe, Delta
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President Dr Ahmad Lawan, and Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila to stop President Buhari from selling public properties to fund the 2021 budget, saying that they must stand for the Nigerian people in these trying times.

In a letter addressed to them, the group added that the Buhari adminstration must jettison the move and rather identify areas in the budget to cut such as salaries and allowances for members and the Presidency so as to address the growing level of deficit and borrowing.

The letter sent on Saturday noted that “the National Assembly has a constitutional and oversight responsibility to protect valuable public properties and to ensure a responsible budget spending”

Continuing, SERAP said “allowing the government to sell public properties, and to enjoy almost absolute discretion to borrow to fund the 2021 budget would amount to a fundamental breach of constitutional and fiduciary duties.”

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“Selling valuable public properties to fund the 2021 budget would be counter-productive, as this would be vulnerable to corruption and mismanagement. It would undermine the social contract with Nigerians, leave the government worse off, and hurt the country in the long run.

“The country’s fiscal situation must be changed – and changed quickly – through some combination of cuts in spending on salaries and allowances, and a freeze on spending in certain areas of the budget like hardship and furniture allowances, entertainment allowances,” the group stated.

SERAP urged the leadership of the National Assembly “to stand up for the Nigerian people, stop the rush to sell public properties, push for a responsible budget, and support efforts to have the government spend responsibly.”

SERAP considered the option of pursuing legal action to stop the Federal Government from selling public properties, saying that the National Assembly will be joined in any such suit.