NASS wasted N4bn on failed Constitution amendment -Group

An advocacy group, Friends in the Gap Initiative Advocacy, say that the last constitution amendment exercise embarked upon by the seventh Assembly which was not seen to a conclusive end, cost the country about N4 billion.

The group therefore asked members of the seventh assembly to refund the monies, or for President Muhammadu Buhari to withhold their severance pay if they fail to refund.

The group, in a statement by its Executive Director, Mr. George Oji, said the amendment finally became a failed venture last Thursday when the seventh National Assembly came to an end, recalling that one of the reasons for the rejection of the amendment by former President Gooldluck Jonathan was the failure of the lawmakers to adhere to strict constitutional provisions on the amendment.

According to Oji, the exercise failed because the lawmakers took the nation for a ride by carrying out a shoddy amendment process just as it condemned what it described as the last minute arrangements with the executive in their bids to cover up their shortcoming.

The group further lamented that the whopping N4 billion wasted on the exercise, if well deployed, would have gone a long way in addressing various socio-economic problems confronting the nation notably employment generation.

“From available information, this last constitution amendment exercise cost the country about N4 billion”

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