Nigerian Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, has lamented on the moves made by some Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government (MDAs) to sabotage President Muhammadu Buhari’s effort to provide critical infrastructures across the country. ayokinews.com reports
The Senate President made it known that despite the several invitations extended by the Senate Local and Foreign Debt Committee, the MDAs have continuously refused to appear before the house to defend the projects listed to be funded through the loan requests sought by President Muhammadu Buhari.
On July 15, 2021, the Nigerian Senate approved the President Muhammadu Buhari’s loan request to the tune of $8,325,526,537 (USD) and €490,000,000 (Euros) under the 2018-2020 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan.
Prior to the first loan approval, President Buhari in a letter addressed to the Nigerian house of Assembly, requested for the Senate’s approval to borrow an additional $4,054,476,863 (USD) and €710 million (Euros), explaining that the money was needed to fund projects listed in addendum to the 2018 to 2021 Federal Government external borrowing plan.
In reaction to the outright refusal of the MDAs to appear before the Senate to justify the projects listed to be funded in the separate loan request, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, liken their action as an act of “sabotage” that would not be cordoned by the National Assembly.
Lawan further listed the erring MDAs to include Federal Ministry of Power, Ministry of Heath, Ministry of Women Affairs, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and Ministry of Environment.
Senate President Ahmed Lawan, therefore issued the MDAs a one-week ultimatum to appear before the Senate Local and Foreign Debt Committee or face the appropriate action to be dealt but the upper chamber of the house.
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Speaking, the Senate President said, “List of some Ministries and agencies of federal government that should have appeared before Senate Committee on a loan and Foreign Debts, to defend the debt request by the Executive arm of government. These MDAs failed to appear.
“The Senate considers this attitude as a sabotage to the effort of the federal government to secure the loans and fund the infrastructural development that this country desperately needs.
“Already, the National Assembly has approved the loan request, but there is need for justification.
“I will therefore call the names of these MDAs, and we are giving them just one week to appear before the Committee on Loan and Foreign Debts.
“[And] if the fail to appear, we will take appropriate and prompt action, because this Senate will not condone any sabotage to the efforts of this administration to provide infrastructure to this country.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/14/gunfire-kills-several-people-near-beirut-protest-live-news
