2018 Budget: Legislators want Minister to show Location of N20m Proposed Office Space

Mon, Feb 12, 2018 | By publisher


Politics

Nigerian Legislators task Okechulwu Enelamah, minister of Trade and Investment to show the location of an office space to be procured with N20 million

 

THE House of Representatives Committee on Industry on Monday directed the Minister of Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, to show proof of existence of a proposed N20million structure to be purchased as office building.

The Committee also queried the Minister for including the proposal for the procurement in the Ministry’s 2018 Budget.‎

The Minister had presented a budget of N26, 123,720,105.00 as total budget estimate for the Ministry and its agencies for the approval of the lawmakers but they picked holes with many of the line items exhibiting fault lines.

Dr. Enelamah, however told the lawmakers that he would check the Ministry’s documents with a view to coming up with facts to defend the proposal.

But the lawmakers said the N20 million earmarked for purchase of the house by the Ministry was outrageous and demanded the location of the building from the Minister.

Dust over the budget was first raised by a member of the Committee, Hon. Mukaila Olaiwola Kazzim (APC, Ogun), who insisted on perusing the proposal line-by-line.

While asking the Minister to show members the location of the building, the lawmaker also questions the wisdom behind a proposal for the purchase of additional three operational vehicles by the Ministry, noting that a similar proposal was approved in 2017.

The Minister, in his response appealed to the lawmakers for time to enable him provide documents that would show the location of the building being proposed for purchase by the Ministry.

Committee Chairman, Hon. Abubakar Husaini Moriki (APC, Zamfara) in his intervention, asked the Minister to provide answers to questions relating to the Cement Technology Institute.

He added that the weight and measurement department of the Ministry should see areas where there is need for improvement before re-engaging the Committee at the next meeting.

– Feb.  12, 2018 @ 19:39 GMT |

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