President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has declared that recent protests witnessed in some states on the harsh economic situation in the country are sponsored. Akpabio made the declaration on Tuesday’s plenary after the presentation of a report of the Joint Committee on Banking, Finance, National Planning, Agriculture and Appropriation, headed by Senator Abdullahi Yahaya. While stressing the need to immediately address the issue of hunger in the country, Akpabio revealed that in the last few months, state governments received N30 billion each to tackle the current hardship faced by citizens.
Sen. Godswil Akpabio-Senate President Meanwhile, in an extensive debate, Senator Adamu Aliero argued that some state governors including some retired ones in the Senate were beneficiaries of N18bn as shock absorber under the Ways and Means since 2015. TRK-UP-Sen. Adamu Aliero-Kebbi Central The Senate President thereafter maintained that owing to the current economic situation, it has become expedient to thoroughly examine the Ways and Means funds.
Sen. Godswil Akpabio-Senate President Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin also explained that the intervention monies were expended outside appropriation without the knowledge of the parliament and so noted that lawmakers have a right to interrogate the expenditure.
Sen. Barau Jibrin-Deputy Senate President As the issue of whether or not to investigate the matter raised opens another debate in the Red Chamber, some lawmakers suggested that a special committee be set up to scrutinise the N30trn intervention disbursements (some of which were grants) and ways to mop them up.
Sen. Ali Ndume-Borno South
-Sen. Victor Umeh- Anambra Central
Sen. Ahmad Lawan-Yobe North The Senate however resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the details of the Ways and Means including the various intervention programmes such as the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, monies given to state governments, manufacturers, aviation, banks, excess funding in the power sector, amongst others. which raised the current debt profile of the country.
