Senate summons SGF over constituency projects comments
Wed Jul 13, 2016 08:53:am Politics
1.8K By sosa hills
The face-off between the Senate and the Executive arm of government over the adjustment and implementation of the 2016 Budget not yet over.
The Senate on Tuesday summoned the Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, to explain the implementation of the Appropriation Act.
It also summoned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), David Babachir Lawal, to appear before its joint committees over his alleged offensive comments on constituency projects included in the budget by the legislature.
Similarly, the Senate threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Malam Abubakar Malami, if he fails again to appear before the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters this week.
Malami is wanted in the Senate to explain his alleged role in the Senate Standing Rules forgery suit the Federal Government filed against the Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others.
"Government might find it very difficult to implement the constituency projects to the latter because MDAs might not find constituency projects as critical to the execution of their mandate and given the dwindling resources this could be some of the areas that will suffer during implementation," Daily Trust newspaper quoted Mr. Lawal as saying in a June 28 publication.
He added, "Even those that have been appropriated for, in light of the dwindling revenue, government will still needs to prioritize.
"If the revenue of the government improves, of course, all capital projects appropriated for will be fully implemented. But we do not see that happening soon. While the government is willing to do that, it is obvious that it can only implement that for which you have money and I think these are some areas that might suffer from the implementation in the budget."
The invitation of Adeosun was disclosed by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje. He told the Upper House that his committee had invited the Ministers of Finance and Budget to appear before it tomorrow to explain the progress they made on the implementation of the budget.
The Senate invitation of the SGF was based on the Upper Chamber's resolution on a motion by Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP- Edo South).
The Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Abiodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South), who seconded the motion, reminded the Senate of the SGF's alleged disparaging remarks on those who participated in the 2014 National Confab and the report itself in the same interview.
Though Urhoghide and senators who supported the motion wanted the SGF to appear before the Senate as a whole, the Senate President Bukola Saraki, in his ruling, amended it by assigning the task to the Senate Committees on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions in collaboration with the Finance and Appropriations Committee.
The Senate on Tuesday summoned the Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, to explain the implementation of the Appropriation Act.
It also summoned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), David Babachir Lawal, to appear before its joint committees over his alleged offensive comments on constituency projects included in the budget by the legislature.
Similarly, the Senate threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Malam Abubakar Malami, if he fails again to appear before the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters this week.
Malami is wanted in the Senate to explain his alleged role in the Senate Standing Rules forgery suit the Federal Government filed against the Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others.
"Government might find it very difficult to implement the constituency projects to the latter because MDAs might not find constituency projects as critical to the execution of their mandate and given the dwindling resources this could be some of the areas that will suffer during implementation," Daily Trust newspaper quoted Mr. Lawal as saying in a June 28 publication.
He added, "Even those that have been appropriated for, in light of the dwindling revenue, government will still needs to prioritize.
"If the revenue of the government improves, of course, all capital projects appropriated for will be fully implemented. But we do not see that happening soon. While the government is willing to do that, it is obvious that it can only implement that for which you have money and I think these are some areas that might suffer from the implementation in the budget."
The invitation of Adeosun was disclosed by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje. He told the Upper House that his committee had invited the Ministers of Finance and Budget to appear before it tomorrow to explain the progress they made on the implementation of the budget.
The Senate invitation of the SGF was based on the Upper Chamber's resolution on a motion by Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP- Edo South).
The Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Abiodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South), who seconded the motion, reminded the Senate of the SGF's alleged disparaging remarks on those who participated in the 2014 National Confab and the report itself in the same interview.
Though Urhoghide and senators who supported the motion wanted the SGF to appear before the Senate as a whole, the Senate President Bukola Saraki, in his ruling, amended it by assigning the task to the Senate Committees on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions in collaboration with the Finance and Appropriations Committee.
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