Budget defence: Drama as Minister fails to justify budget padding at Senate

The minister instead appealed to the committee to allow the Permanent Secretary, Mr Frank Edozie, to provide the answers on his behalf. His appeal was rejected by the lawmakers.

The Committee at a budget defence session with Shehuri and Edozie alleged high level of duplication of items in the 2018 budget estimates of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, describing it as embarrassing and unacceptable.

The lawmakers observed that N120 million, N480 million and N288 million were separately budgeted for the purchase of utility vehicles. The ministry also earmarked N100 million for transfer and management of office files and documents.

“Year in year out, the ministry presents the same items in the budget and asks for more funds to execute the same projects,” the Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe-led committee says.

Meanwhile, the substantive minister of the ministry, Engr Babatunde Fashion (SAN) was absent at the defence. Fashola was last Thursday walked out by the lawmakers over alleged “unpreparedness to face the committee over the budget defence.”

On his absence on yesterday’s  Abaribe says: “Maybe he decided to snub us because of some media reports last week. But he ought not to have been angry by that. I am sure that was why he sent you, he did not want to come here.

“I said it that it was deliberate that Fashola did not show up. What we need to scrutinise the budget was not provided. We needed something to make the process easy. Nobody is satisfied with these vague items. We are going to adjourn this meeting, pending when we will get these submissions from you.

“We are asking you to inform the Minister to be here to properly respond to all the questions we need to ask. We will do a comprehensive letter asking for explanation on items where we have raised questions. That will guide you in giving your submissions. We need you to be prepared when next you come.”