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Senate to probe Buhari’s N30trn Ways and Means spending
There was a mild drama on Tuesday as the Senate resolved to revisit the N30 trillion Ways and Means it approved for the Federal Government under former President Muhammadu Buhari, the details of which it said were never provided for scrutiny.
Specifically, the Red Chamber alleged that reckless spending of the overdraft collected from the Godwin Emefiele-led Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, largely accounted for the food and security crises presently facing the country.
It consequently resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to carry out a thorough investigation on how the N30 trillion was spent by the immediate past government since details of such spending were deliberately not made available to the National Assembly.
The ad-hoc committee, which will be constituted on Wednesday, will also probe the N10 trillion expended on the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, the $2.4 billion forex transaction out of the $7 billion obligation made for that purpose, as well as other intervention programmes.
The Senate resolutions followed the consideration of the report of its joint committees on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions; Finance; National Planning; Agriculture, and Appropriations, on the state of the economy after interactive sessions with the Federal Government economic management team.
The report consideration in plenary on Tuesday was very stormy and full of accusations and counter-accusations by senators on why and how the N22.7 trillion Ways and Means was passed by the 9th Senate in May 2023 and an additional N7.2 trillion passed on December 30, 2023, by the 10th Senate.
The Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), in his contribution, blamed the Senate for approving the request without details from then-President Muhammadu Buhari.
“When the N22.7 trillion Ways and Means approval request was brought before the 9th Senate, I insisted that details of spendings made with it, should be provided before approval, but the Senate then, went ahead and approved it,” he said.
He, was, however, countered by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, who said the decision taken then, was a collective one with the caveat that the executive should provide details later, which was, however, not provided.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said, as recommended by the committee and supported by most of the Senators, a thorough probe must be carried out on the N22.7 trillion Ways and Means approved in May 2023 by the 9th Senate, which later increased to N30 trillion, with the passage of the N7.2 trillion accrued interest forwarded for passage in December 2023.
“The food and security crises confronting the nation now, are traceable to the way and manner in which the said ways and means were given, collected, and spent.
“Details of such spending must be submitted for required scrutiny and possible remedies because what Nigerians want now, is food on their table, which must be given.
“Other recommendations made by the committee on the need for a thorough investigation of the N10 trillion Anchor Borrowers Programme and other intervention programmes running into billions of dollars must be investigated.
“But as rightly recommended by the joint committee, security agencies should, as a matter of national urgency, combat all forms of insecurity across the country for farmers to access their farms for required food production, which is highly needed in the country now,” Akpabio said.
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LET THE CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE BE*
The hurriedly written press statement by the embattled Patrick Osadebamwen and OCHIAKA UGWU recently impeached as Exco of the FCT Council of the NUJ is really sad, appalling and completely unwarranted.
It is a brazen attempt by them to usurp the powers of the National Secretariat of the Union.
Article 5(9c, d) of the NUJ Constitution is so unambiguous that does not need any interpretation.
Article 5 sub section 9(C) states inter alia; “The Credentials Committee at the National level shall act independently of the President, National Secretary and any other National Officers, while the Credentials Committee at the State Council level shall be independent of State officers of the Union but shall be responsible and answerable to the National Secretariat.
5 (9d) The Credentials Committee at the State Council level shall be nominated by the State Congress subject to the approval of the National Secretariat.”
From the constitutional provisions, it is clear that the Committee is not in any materia particula answerable to any ‘Executive’ Committee member of the Council but the National Secretariat. And not to the already impeached Patrick-led Exco.
It is more worrisome that this so-called cut and join chairman is oblivious of the constitution he swore to defend. What do you expect of a place -holder chairman?
More importantly, since the National Secretariat has communicated with the Committee to go ahead with its mandate, the outgoing ‘Executive’ Committee has no locus standi in the matter whatsoever.
It is also an irony to note that the outgoing Chairman and Secretary could shamelessly claim that our respected former Chairman of Council, Mr AMOS DUNIA took over proceedings of the Extraordinary Congress. Both officers are obviously having selective amnesia. It’s appears they forgot how they came cap-in-hand to beg former leaders to come to their rescue. What can be farther than the truth. Whereas, members were told at the beginning of the Monday Extraordinary Congress that the Committee of elders and former Chairmen of Council, mandated MR. DUNIA to conduct the affairs of the Congress following the VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE passed on the Patrick Osadebamwen-led Executive by the Congress the preceding Saturday.
It is really shameful that an Executive that was saved from being disgraced and booted out of office can still have the temerity to openly and outrightly dish out tissues of lies to the public. What a shame!
The question to ask remains, if Patrick Osadebamwen and OCHIAKA UGWU who has indicated interest in contesting the election, now want to act and take decisions on behalf of the National Secretariat.
Members are aware of the antics and game being played to cover up shady deals perpetrated these past six years and we are watching.
We say NO to the attempt to usurp the constitutional role of the National Secretariat by Patrick Osadebamwen and OCHIAKA UGWU.
Enough is enough!
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