Senate summons Okonjo-Iweala, Ngama to explain budget performance

 PEEVED by alleged comments by Minister of State for Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama that the 2013 budget was no longer implementable due to what he called “over-bloated revenue estimates by the National Assembly”, the Senate yesterday, directed its Committee on Finance to, as a matter of urgency, summon the two ministers of finance to appear before it to defend the allegation.

The Senate also said it was awaiting the Accountant-General of the Federation to present before it, the various monies released in the on-going year for ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, in accordance with clauses 6 and 9 of the 2013 Appropriation Act.

(photo) Finance Minister, Ngozi-Okonjo-Iweala

The development came even as Senate President, David Mark blamed the various committees for not doing enough to monitor budget performances by the executive arm of government.

The Senate which deliberated the issue at its plenary, mandated Committees on Finance and Appropriation to immediately summon Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as well as the Ministry of State, Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama to appear before it to give explanation and submit its report within three weeks.

The summon followed a motion to that effect, sponsored by the Senate Deputy Leader, Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central, and 13 others praying the upper legislative chamber to probe the performance of the budget, with a view to critically assess the position of the nation’s economy