Sufuyan Ojeifo
3 December 2008
Abuja — Senate yesterday received six additional names of ministerial nominees from President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua bringing the total number of nominees already forwarded to 19.
Among the six new names forwarded are Vice Chairman of Senate Committee on Education, Senator Adam Aliero (Kebbi), Mr Humphrey Abbah (Kogi) and Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho (Imo).
THISDAY learnt last night that their names were sent to the senate after they scaled trough security screening.
Also yesterday, the senate concluded the screening of the first batch of 13 ministerial nominees, thus setting the stage for their likely confirmation today.
Two nominees-Architect Nuhu Somo Wya (Kaduna) and Alhaji Jibril Maigari (Yobe)- were screened yesterday in the Committee of the Whole Senate.
Wya was screened before the presentation of the 2009 budget to the joint session of the National Assembly by President Yar'Adua while Maigari was screened after the session.
But the Senate will this morning begin debate on the general principles of the 2009 budget. The debate will be concluded tomorrow consequent upon which the budget would be referred to the Appropriation Committee for further processing.
The other committees of the Senate will become sub-committees of the Appropriation Committee under the chairmanship of Senator Iyiola Omisore for the purpose of processing the budget.
Meanwhile, in his remarks at the joint session yesterday, Senate President, Senator David Mark said that the budget would have profound social, economic and political implications for the national economy and the consequent attainment of the gals set out in the Seven-Point Agenda of the Federal Government.He said that "fiscal and monetary policy, properly articulated, regulates the roadmap of the national economy and steers the ship of State towards the shores of economic redemption, political stability and national prosperity.
"it is our collective, unanimous and sincere wish, desire and hope that this budget will adequately address the current global economic crisis, stimulate economic growth, spur development in every facet of our national life, and enhance the living conditions of our fellow citizens and adequately and realistically address those fundamental issues that had hitherto retarded our national development."He said that the National Assembly would be alert to its constitutional responsibilities. Stressing, "we will therefore continue to take our oversight functions very seriously in accordance with Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution to ensure accountability, probity and transparency in public expenditure."
Mark continued: "We will work assiduously to eliminate the misuse or misappropriation of public funds and ensue strict adherence to timely implementation of the budget."He assured that the need to ensure the efficient use of public funds for the promotion of the welfare of the Nigerian people would be the cardinal principle in the consideration and speedy passage of the 2009 budget.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole in his vote of thanks, said that the National Assembly had demonstrated its preparedness to support the Federal Government through "our application of the input-output outcome, corporate governance and medium-term expenditure and revenue profile."
He said that the unwavering commitment of the House of the National Assembly resulted in the recovery of over N450 billion unspent fund for the 2008 budget.
According to him, "Our investigations and preliminary reports also revealed that $13.5 billion out of the $16 billion appropriated for power, which about N2 trillion has not led to any incremental result.
"Significantly too, preliminary investigations in the National Assembly have also discovered that in last five years alone, over $3 to $4 billion collected by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) was not remitted into the Federation Account as constitutionally provided."
While stating that the investigation into the NNPC and Niger Delta was still ongoing, he said that the exercise was not meant to persecute or prosecute but to present "a legislative framework" to make sure that there is no repeat of the incidents.Bankole said that the Legislature would continue to ask the right question regardless of internal and external distractions with a view to correcting the mistakes of the past and providing "a synergy with other arms of government to ensure that the reforms translate to desired outcome."
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