Buhari's Treasury Savings account Can't Be for National Assembly – Senate president Saraki, Rep. Speaker Dogara

Buhari's Treasury Savings account Can't Be for National Assembly – Senate president Saraki, Rep. Speaker Dogara

National Assembly has said it would not be part of Treasury Single Account (TSA) being implemented by the President, Muhammadu Buhari, to reduce the level of corruption in governance.

President Buhari had during last Wednesday’s media chat, said he was having challenge with the National Assembly over the TSA. “We are having problems with them (National Assembly) on TSA. We have to have a closed door session with them,” the president said during the media chat.

But both upper and lower chambers has reacted, saying they would not be part of the TSA.

They claim it amounted to “surrendering of our autonomy to the executive.” Spokespersons of the Senate, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said they were in support of the TSA but that they would not be part of it.

“There is no any trouble on TSA, it is as an executive programme and we cannot surrender our autonomy to the executive. Submitting ourselves to the TSA, is surrendering our autonomy to the executive. We are on the first line charge as guaranteed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Why should we give you our funds to put in the TSA and then we will be subjected to your own control, is that autonomy?

"That is just the issue; we’ve given our total support to the TSA programme. As far as we are concerned, we cannot subject ourselves to it because it amount to mortgaging our autonomy."

TSA was introduced by the government to reduce the level of corruption in governance. Buhari, shortly after assuming office directed all federal government agencies to key into the system.