Hon. Benedict Etanabene, member representing Okpe Sapele Uvwie Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives
*Also calls for scrapping of Govs security votes, abolish bicameral legislature
*Urges President Tinubu to address protesters
*Calm down now, your voices have been heard, wait for responses – Ben advised protesters
As the national hunger protests enters its third day, the outspoken member of the House of Representatives for Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie Federal Constituency, Hon. Benedict Etanabene, has put forward some measures for the Federal Government to adopt immediately to address the raging discontentment among Nigerians.
Etanabene who expressed support for the protest on condition that it would be peaceful, however lamented that in some parts of the country, especially up north, there were incidents of violence that culminated into injuries and loss of lives.
He however advised that more than 36 hours into the protest, the federal government must now express concern by taking some measures that could finally douse tension across the country.
Hon. Etanabene who made public his position in his verified Facebook handle, opted for a slash of allowances by half of all National Assembly members, including that of the President and his Vice, not sparing members of the State Houses of Assembly, Ministers, Local Government chairmen and Councilors and all political appointees across the three tiers of government.
“My first advice is for the government to slash allowances by half, of all National Assembly members, Ministers, Director Generals, Presidency Officials, including Mr. President and his Vice. All Governors should scrap security allowances etc. Ditto for State Assembly members and Local Government chairmen. In fact, all political appointees”, he said.
Etanabene who himself is a beneficiary of some of the allowances at the National Assembly, also suggested the withdrawal of “all SUV luxury vehicles bought for the political class, including National Assembly members, Ministers, Director Generals, etc adding that they should be returned immediately and sold to raise funds.”
While applauding the courage of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, for securing the support of other members of the green chamber to slash their salaries by half, he advised the Senate and the Executive to follow suit.
According to him, this is the time for sacrifices from every Nigerian to steer the ship of statehood in the right direction.
“I salute the courage of the Deputy speaker and Speaker when they advocated for half of the salaries of members. Same should be done by the President and his staff and all ministers of DGs. Time for sacrifice from everybody now.
“Let’s tell Nigerians the truth, including that I receive less than N1 m for yearly rent, yet I can’t find a modest house in Abuja not above 10 million a year. Lets look boldly to the eyes of our constituents, as first child to all families, when demands comes, do what you can, but be bold to reject what you cannot or have funds to do. I cannot be going in debts because of politics. When next election comes, we have the choice to vote for thieves”, he noted.
Among other strategic options he suggested to the federal government as immediate solutions to the current imbroglio, are to “compress all humanitarian ministries and departments into one ministry, scrap all irrelevant ministries and departments into few, reduce the retinue of special advisers, reduce the convoys of the president, vice president, senate president, speaker, governors, ministers to just 4 vehicles – 1 for the officer, 2 for security men and the 4th one for medical and press people.”
Hon. Etanabene also took a critical look at the petroleum sector and suggested that “Mr president should relinquish the Petroleum Minister’s portfolio and direct all government-owned refineries to commence production in one month or sack all workers who collect salaries and allowances without being productive.”
“Move for one legislative house to retain either Senate or House of Representatives. If, for the two, then it should be on part time. The more the sittings, the more they have allowance for sitting. Those who don’t want to show up, should not be paid. It will motivate participation”, he further suggested.
He also took a swipe at the thorny issue of constituency projects for members which the national lawmaker suggested must be scrapped, adding that the input of the members of the National Assembly should be captured in the nation’s yearly appropriations
“Scrap constituency projects for members. The wahala is too much. BUT, the yearly budget must have the input of the 360 and 109 Representatives members and senators, bringing from their constituencies what is required”, he noted.
Hon. Etanabene criticized the inequity and uneven allocation of federal government’s presence among the regions, stressing that the interest of the minority tribes, among which his Urhobo tribe belongs, are shortchanged in the annual budget planning. According to him, the 3 major tribes allocate all the resources to themselves, adding that he made his observations during the budget consideration at the International Conference Centre.
“The 3 major tribes in Nigeria are the ones making budget. There’s NO URHOBO , ditto Minority tribes, that you can find on the table during budget planning. They are not Permanent Secretaries, Directors or top Government functionaries. They’re not in the Presidency. It is unfair. Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING can be pointed out as federal presence in my Urhobo land, not to talk of Delta State.
“I have MOVED a motion on the floor of the House on the Amukpe/Eku/Agbor/uromi Road. Ditto Benin/Warri Road. These are federal Roads, yet nothing has happened. These roads are completely bad and not passable. I have moved a motion on the floor on the opening of Sapele, Warri, Koko and Burutu Ports. Why has government not done anything about it? Must only Lagos Port work?. No! No!! We cannot run Nigeria like “Area Representatives ” in power.
“For those who want to hear, please listen and don’t abuse me like many of you do concerning constituencies project. Mr. Falana was not saying the truth when yesterday when he said that of N500 million is allocated for constituency project. That’s not correct. What I’m allocated in projects to be suggested as constituency projects is N313 million. The projects are domiciled in government ministries and departments. The projects are in the 2024 budget. They are not to be executed by me. I don’t have means to advertise for them personally and award and pay the contractors. No No. That’s not how it works”, Etanabene explained.
He also suggested that the federal government should “suspend the N15 trillion Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, and deploy such fund to acquire military hardware and security surveillance equipment to curb the menace of terrorism across the country.
“Mr president should suspend coastal and use the 15 trillion to buy military hardwares, hitech military surveillance equipment, recruitment of non-employed NYSC and acquire able bodied guys in the last 5 years who are interested joining the army on contract basis. (Even at almost 60 years, I volunteer also). We must take this fight to the terrorist, bandits who are preventing people from farming, thereby causing this hunger. We must attack on all front simultaneously.
“The President must acquire and Nigerianize all minerals sites in Northern Nigeria as is the case of oil in the Niger Delta. Mr. President MUST stop illegal oil bunkering. No unauthorised vessel must be allowed into our waters. The Nigerian Navy must do the needful. No sacred cow.
“Nigeria needs “State Police ” now, more than ever. We in the Delta MUST flush all herdsmen from bushes and forest in and around the state. State/community Police will put security in the hands of the locals who know the various bushes and terrain around their communities. By fiat, Mr. President can forward same to the National Assembly. Just as we were summoned from vacation recently, we can also be summoned to do the needful urgently.
“Mr President should pronounce amendments in the electoral process in the country to give confidence to Nigerian. That 2027 will not be business as usual. ALL RESULTS MUST BE TRANSMITTED ELECTRONICALLY. NO MANUAL RELEASE OF RESULTS. Why is there no crises in South Africa. The process was transparent, and not only so, but was seen by the citizens to be so transparent.
“Quickly invite Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr Peter Obi, Alhaji Kwankwanso to a crucial meeting on the way forward. There must be a Nigeria first, before who will be President. We all must tune down our criticism of Nigeria in the eyes of foreign countries. We cannot be processing ideas personally ourselves, consultations with opposite views is necessary now”,
“Finally Mr. President should address the protesters personally. He should appeal to them”, he advised.
Etanabene however concluded by appealing to the protesters for calm, adding that their demands have been communicated effectively.
“LET ME APPEAL FOR CALM FROM THE PROTESTERS. YOUR DEMAND FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE HAS BEEN HEARD BY GOVERNMENT. NOW IS THE TIME TO GO HOME AND WAIT WHAT GOVERNMENT RESPONSES WILL BE.
“CONTINUALLY BEING ON THE STREETS WILL NOT ADD ANYTHING FURTHER TO THE MESSAGE.
IT HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED LOUD AND CLEAR. PLEASE! PLEASE!!!! PLEASE!!!!!. TIME TO GO HOME AND WAIT FOR THE DIVIDENDS OF THE PROTEST”, he emphasized.
By John Oghojafor
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