SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT, SERAP, URGED THE PRESIDENT OF SENATE, AND SPEAKER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE, TO STOP PRESIDENT BUHARI FROM SELLING PUBLIC PROPERTIES TO FUND TWENTY TWENTY ONE BUDGET

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to stop President Buhari from selling Public Properties to fund the twenty-twenty-one budget.

SERAP, tasked the government to cut salaries and allowances of top officials to address the growing level of deficit and borrowing rather than selling National assets.

A statement signed by Civil Society Organisation, Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said the National Assembly has a constitutional oversight responsibility to protect valuable Public Properties and to ensure a responsible budget spending.

It noted that disposing of valuable Public Properties to fund the budget was not in the public interest and would be counter-productive, as the action would be vulnerable to corruption and mismanagement.

The Rights group added that it would also undermine the social contract with Nigerians, and leave the government worse off at the long run.

            It called for a freeze on spending in certain areas of the budget such as hardship, furniture and entertainment allowances, international travels, buying of vehicles and utilities for lawmakers and the presidency.