By ABUBAKAR YUSUF

The National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) has established an anti- corruption and transparency unit.

This, according to the Management, is in line with the commission’s desire to inculcate transparency and accountability across all its activities.

Chairman of the commission, Engr Ahmed Kadi Amshi, had on assumption of duty promised to instill fiscal discipline, administrative reforms in the running the day to day affairs of the commission. This has led to open biddings of its capital projects budgeted in recent years between 2021 and 2022.

The anti-corruption and transparency unit will further strengthen the internal mechanism being deployed to stem sharp practices in the commission, along with the mission and vision of the present administration in fighting corruption across the country and government establishments.

Meanwhile, NASC on Wednesday, October 26, presented a budget of N19.3 billion for its capital and recurrent expenditures for 2023.

The commission’s Chairman defended the budget before the Establishment and Public Service Committee of the Senate, at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

He said that out of the amount, N12B would be expended on the commission’s headquarters complex located at the Three Arms Zone to ensure its completion, while N7.3B would be on recurrent expenditures meant for payment of the approved new condition of service for its staffers.

Engr Kadi said that the N27.7B approved for 2022 budget was not enough to resolve both capital and recurrent expenditures of the commission.

According to the management of NASC, the commission had contended with strike and threat to embark on another one over the non-payment of the new condition of service, saying to ensure industrial harmony, peace and development, it decided to include their agitations on the request for approval of next year’s budget.

He commended the National Assembly for the commitment to ensure the early completion of the commission’s headquarters, stating that it will assist the service to address both logistics and accommodation problems bedeviling it over the years.