FG’s MTEF empty, shallow –Senate

Barely two days after Senators rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2016-2018 borrowing plan request, the Red Chamber on Thursday, described the proposal and the 2016-2018 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) as empty.

Leader of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, who made the statement, called the attention of the Senate to a newspaper publication of Wednesday, 2nd of October, 2016.

He criticized the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma for blaming the National Assembly over the delay in the presentation of 2017 budget.

Relying on Order 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rules, Ndume urged his colleagues to call the erring Minister to order. He said the delay in the presentation of the 2017 budget was not orchestrated by the National Assembly, but the executive arm which has not provided the necessary framework.

Speaking on the borrowing plan and the MTEF/FSP, Ndume described the proposals as empty and shallow. He maintained that the National Assembly could not work with the current empty documents.

Ndume also revealed that Udoma who was invited to brief the leadership of the Senate on grey areas of the MTEF/FSP on Tuesday, refused to show up, and did not explain the reason behind his non-appearance.

In a letter dated 19th of October, 2016 and signed on behalf of the Senate by Ndume, Udoma was expected to brief the Senate leadership on some key issues contained in the MTEF/FSP documents.

President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, while intervening, said the Minister has denied the newspaper publication and has maintained that he was misquoted. Saraki urged his colleagues not to dwell on what may likely wet the ground for controversies ahead of the consideration of the 2017 budget.

“I saw this article too. I had taken up the Minister and he denied the article. He said he was going to debunk it. Be that as it may, I think the matter should not be stressed,” Saraki pleaded.

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Senator Albert Bassey Akpan from Akwa Ibom state, wondered why the public is often misled to turn against the National Assembly. He said as a parliament, they are the true conscience of the people.

He however defended Udoma: “As a National Assembly, a lot of work has been done to incite the public against us. We are the true conscience of the nation. I know that the Minister in question is a Senator.”

In a similar vein, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, also defended the Minister. He said the National Assembly is ready to accommodate the presentation of the budget by the executive.

Warning against blame game, Ekweremadu noted: “Now that the statement has either be denied or withdrawn, we need to tell Nigerians the truth. We are here on a full job. We are ready to take the budget presentation anytime. In doing so, the executive must be reminded that everything must be done right. All arms of government must live to its responsibility. The issue of blame game should be put behind us.”

By Ehisuan Odia ….

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