Trade Minister upsets Senators, Oshiomhole advises her to use experts instead
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Senators have knocked Trade, Industry and Investment Minister Doris Nkiruka-Anite for daring to plan spending N1 billion on trips to Geneva in 2024, as contained in the budget of the ministry, at a time the public is howling for reduction in the cost of governance amid hardship among the populace.
Nkiruka-Anite – who on Tuesday appeared before the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Trade, Industry and Investment to defend the ministry’s budget – disclosed the ministry has no record of Nigeria’s balance of trade.
The committee is chaired by Senator Sadiq Umar (APC, Kwara North).
Plans to spend N1 billion next year on trips to only Geneva is contained in the budget document submitted to the committee, which elicited reactions and criticism from the lawmakers, who described the amount as “very outrageous”, per Vanguard.
Trouble started when Nkiruka-Anite was asked to explain the performance of the 2023 budget before seeking fresh funds.
After her explanation, Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) took her up on the proposed junkets to Geneva at a cost of N1 billion.
Oshiomhole counselled her to use experts in her ministry to achieve results rather than embarking on trips that would cost such a huge amount.
“I see that you intend to travel to Geneva next year and you have budgeted over N1 billion for that. We can’t keep going on with over bloated teams on abroad trips. Use the experts we have in your offices in those countries to save cost.”
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Tinubu’s N532b budget too little to fight Nigeria’s huge poverty, Edu cries out
In contrast, Beta Edu cried out on Tuesday that a budget of N532.5 billion to fight poverty etched in the 2024 Appropriation Bill by President Bola Tinubu cannot tackle the menace that degrades 133 million Nigerians into living from hand to mouth, some barely feeding at all.
Tinubu’s Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister spoke up when she and other officials of the ministry defended the budget before the Joint National Assembly Committee of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, chaired by Senator Idiat Adebule (APC, Lagos West).
Edu said her ministry was given an overhead ceiling of N532.5 billion which represents a 28 per cent increase over the 2023 budget to cushion the effects of inflation.
The 28 per cent increase in the overhead ceiling is not commensurate with the 27.33 per cent inflation rate in the economy today, she said.
“Conversely,” she added, “the capital budget ceiling was reduced from N3.7 billion in 2022 to N1.328316 billion in 2023 and it represents a 71 per cent reduction.
“So, in 2022 and 2023, there was a 71 per cent reduction.
“However the pittance capital ceiling of N1.535 billion, which is an increase from the current year’s budget, does not in any way match with the mandate of the ministry’s headquarters to shrink poverty in Nigeria.
“Simply put, there was an over 71 per cent reduction between 2022 and 2023 so the minimal increase between 2023 and 2024 does not in any way match the mandate which we have been given and what is expected of us.
“At this point, I will plead humbly and sincerely with the chairman, co-chair, and members of this great committee that as we look into Nigeria as a nation, the burden lies on us to tackle the issue of poverty with sincerity.”
Words need to match action
“One thing you can take from me and my team working under the guardians of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is that he truly wants Nigerians to be out of poverty. Except the budget is appropriate for it, we would be completely unable to meet that mandate. It will be words that would not be matched with actions,” Edu stressed.
“I am happy that you represent constituencies and senatorial zones; a lot is being expected of you from the government in your constituencies to meet their real sincere demands.
“That is the reason why this committee must go beyond board to ensure that the present budget which was given to the ministry and agencies is carefully looked into, reconsidered, and something more reasonable and in keeping with the realities on the ground is done.
“The ministry has several special projects which I will not like to mention and we intend to use these special projects as agencies under us to meet the target.”
Edu also lamented “very serious” omissions from the budget.
“If you followed the news closely, the President, who is the chairman of the Federal Executive Council [FEC), recently approved the creation of the Humanitarian and Poverty Eradication Trust Fund.
“This Trust Fund is expected to have a contribution from the federal government of 30 per cent counterpart funding which is supposed to come from donor agencies as well as development partners.
“We also have 30 per cent coming from the private sector, and then 10 per cent from other very innovative funds of resource mobilisation [for] which we have already started engagement.
“Similarly, 10 per cent is expected from other very innovative funds of resource mobilisation for which we have already started engagements in the over 111 days in office.
Engagement with donor agencies
“We have been engaging massively for these funds to come into Nigeria to support the implementation of programmes which we will be implementing with you at the front burner by reaching out to your constituents.
“However, Nigeria needs to put its part of the bargain on the table. This would be not just an attraction to those who are supposed to be bringing in the other percent but it will serve as a light to reach the poor and indeed eradicate poverty from our country.
“We plead with this great committee that as you make your submission to the Appropriation Committee and of course furthermore to the final level where the gavel will go down on the 2024 Appropriation, we seek that you help us ensure the inclusion of these budget line as well as appropriation for this budget line.
“I would want to plead that we would have to as an executive.”
When Adebule asked whether Edu presented the budget for the Trust Fund at the budget planning stage, she said it was presented to the Budget Ministry but it was not reflected in what her ministry got back.
“This was clearly stated as an omission and that is why we are asked to bring in as a memo to the committee to see how they can consider it.
When the committee members asked whether Edu had the memo, and she replied yes and also confirmed having discussed it with Budget and Economic Planning Minister Abubakar Bugudu.
