Speaking in the plenary, Sen. Dino Melaye, said: “For the first, the budget contains full details of the National Assembly, not only line by line, but explicitly. I was happy when I saw NASS budget details in the document distributed to us this morning. This will afford civil society groups and every Nigerian to ask questions.”
“On behalf of our colleagues let me congratulate the committee. This is history been made, because this is the first time report of the Appropriation Bill will be laid with details. Because of that, by tomorrow (Wednesday) you will get hard copies of the report, but the soft copy will be ready today. We will distribute them and ensure we pass the bill on Thursday,” he said.
The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) will provide $1.4 billion in the form of equity and debt for gas and solar power programmes. These would be in addition to the $2.5 billion loan the country is seeking from the World Bank to help improve the distribution of power, expand transmission-capacity as well as increase access to electricity in rural areas. These bring the sector international facility quest to a total of $5.2 billion.
Besides the monthly payment of between N65, 000 and N66,000 to the former militants, the funds would also finance reintegration activities, including payment of tuition fees for Niger Delta students who are in post-secondary institutions at home and abroad, payment of in-training and hazard allowances and vocational training costs.
“When we were going on Easter recess, members of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, including that of the House, did not go on recess. They stayed back because that was the arrangement so that by the time we returned on April 25, that was Tuesday, they should lay the report of the budget.”
At the weekend, Osinbajo panel assured that in the discharge of its work, it would invite all relevant officials and private individuals who may be connected to both cases. It vowed to obtain and scrutinize documents that may throw some light on the issues raised in both cases.
“We know very well that the visit of the Vice-President (then Acting President) to oil producing states was a big scam, camouflage, deceit and delay tactics by the Federal Government to achieve its normal daily crude oil production.”
“AAMA has resolved to take the lead in the collaboration of maritime agencies and the development of a well-defined national and continental strategy. All maritime administrations in Africa are encouraged to attend Africa Day of the Seas and Oceans on July 25, 2017 at Addis Ababa,” it said.
“Already, as you can see, the country is coming out of economic recession, soon the prices of commodities will go down, and generally things will take a good shape. We call on Nigerians to be patient and not to lose hope. I urge us to be prayerful and by God’s grace we shall get better and stronger as a nation,” he added.
“It is a sector that seems to have defiled recession, according to the bureau of statistics, its growing while other sectors may be experiencing challenges; that is not to say that we have reached Eldorado. But, it is a journey and we are beginning to see concrete development and the President as you know also approved an intervention fund for this sector, the first of its kind in the history of the mining sector,” he said.
