Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday assured that a breakdown of the N115billion 2016 budget of the National Assembly would soon be made available for public scrutiny.
The National Assembly has over the years refused to open up its budget to public scrutiny, fueling speculations that federal lawmakers were allocating jumbo salaries and allowances to themselves; a claim it has continuously denied.
Speaking after commissioning the newly renovated press centre of the Senate, Saraki said the budget would be in the public domain this year as against the practice in the past.
“My own view from the 8th National Assembly is that the time for collective participation for the good of all Nigerians is here with us in line with the change mantra of the present administration. We are all on the same page for things to be done differently.
“I think what we need now from all stakeholders , is more of cooperation, encouragement and participation as oppose to trying to hold one person responsible for the mistakes of the past that we are all part of”, he said.
The Senate president further said that the National Assembly would soon come up with an amendment bill on the procurement process towards ensuring strict and transparent implementation of the N6.08trillion 2016 budget.
Responding to question on corruption allegation levelled against the National Assembly by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Saraki pointed out that all public office holders in the country since 1999 were involved in one way or the other, in the mistakes of the past that led the country to the present political and economic mess it found itself.
