2018: Reps threaten Trade Ministry with zero allocation

By Joshua Egbodo

Abuja

House of Representatives Committee on Commerce yesterday threatened the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment with zero allocation in the 2018 budget, over what it described as aloofness of the Minister, Okechukwu Enelema.
Dropping the threat during a budget defence meeting, chairman of the committee, Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga said “the attitudes of ministers coming to meet committees only during budget sessions is unacceptable,” stressing that if the committee cannot get satisfactory report of the 2017 budget performance, the affected agencies may not get any allocation, and we may stand by it.”
The committee was initially angered by the absence of both Enelema, who was said to be attending an investment summit in Agentina, and the Minister of State, Aisha Abubakar, who however showed up later.
The committee queried Aisha on why none of them had deemed it fit to attend public hearings of industry-related bills, numbering over 10, even when invitations were extended to the ministry. “Beyond the budget, let us know whether the ministry can operate without oversight of the committee, Ogbaga said,” recalling that the last encounter with the minister was during the 2017 budget session.
The minister of state who blamed their inability to attend the hearings on late receipt of the invitation, however said there was no way they could work without engaging the committee, pledging greater collaboration in the future.
Though the committee refused to deliberate on the budget of the ministry until a day that it would be convenient for Enelema to appear in person, the junior minister was allowed to present highlights of the ministry’s budget.
Explaining, she said, of the 21.56 billion appropriated for the ministry in 2017, only N3 billion (16 per cent) of the capital allocation of N19.11 billion was released, out of which the ministry had expended N2.190 billion, and that of the N246 million overhead cost released, N224.880 million has been expended, giving a the total proposed budget of N26.123 billion for 2018.

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