Senators yesterday opposed their President, Bukola Saraki, and kickedagainst the call for the sale of some national assets.
This came at the Senate yesterday set up a six man adhoc committee to review contributions of senators in the two-day debate on economic recession in the country and make recommendations that will be transmitted to the President.
The committee, which has Senator Abdullahi Yahaya, APC, Kebbi North, as chairman, also has as members Senator John Owan Enoh, PDP, CR Central, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, PDP Bayelsa East, Senator Barau Jibril, APC Kano Central, Senator Rafiu Ibrhim, APC Kwara South and Senator Mohammad Hassan, APC Yobe South. Dr. Saraki had, Wednesday joined the call by some Nigerian elite for the Federal Government to sell some assets to raise funds to help the country out of recession.
Many of the senators who contributed as the debate on the recession in the country continued in the Senate, blamed the elite, including some lawmakers, for the economic problems of the nation.
Some called for the restructuring of Nigeria’s federalism, while others called for a review of some fiscal policies, including the Treasury Single Account, TSA.
Leading the debate, Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Na’Allah, called on the government to reconsider its policy on TSA and its policy on domiciliary accounts. He admitted that though the intention for making the policies may have been genuine, they were unfortunately affecting the economy adversely. He said that the TSA policy had stifled the banks and as such, money was no longer circulating in the economy through loans, mortgages and other means.
“The President has good intentions but we have a few people who are not thinking correctly. “I recall that I complained when the CBN stopped operation of domiciliary accounts within and outside Nigeria. “These two decisions must be revisited and redirected to ensure that there is a platform for redistribution of income. “The two critical decisions of fighting corruption should be revisited,” he said.
Senator Andy Ubah decried the call for sale of national assets, describing it as wrong. “If we sell our assets now to recover from this recession, what would we sell in the future if we ever slip into another recession?
“We must seek an alternative way of recovering from this recession but sale of our assets is not the way out,” Mr. Ubah said. Majority Whip, Olusola Adeyeye, insisted that the nation must be restructured along the lines of true federalism.
According to him, the states cannot keep coming to the Federal Government to collect money while ignoring available resources and potentials in their states. “I want us to look at this current constitutional review, the various exclusive lists and the various concurrent lists; let us look where we have over-burdened the Federal Government. “If we must revitalize the economy, we must have jobs and projects going in every local government, every federal constituency and every senatorial district of this country. “Let us begin to implement the zonal intervention projects,” he said, adding that the bitter truth was that people in government also contributed to the problems.
“If we will save Nigeria we must reduce the cost of governance. Nigeria’s estacode is the highest in the world; we must slash it to 50 per cent. “Obafemi Awolowo campaigned in 1978 that he was going to slash it and it has now grown into five times what it was in those days; we must slash it. “When you go to our airports and you park your car, you pay N300; that is 75 cents, but in all modern economies you pay per hour.
Vanguard report.
*What exactly will be sold when they say Assets?
Andy Uba has a point but let every day take care of itself,let us address this recession now and pray another does not come,the people are hungry and running out of Patience...If there is anything to be sold that will remove the country from Recession,let it be done.It is like a hungry man afraid to spend the money he has hidden somewhere whilst his stomach rumbles.
SELL ALREADY PLEASE!
Andy Uba has got to be the only intelligent man in that place.
ReplyDeleteSell because?
Smh vigorously.
Lol @vigorously. Pls don't catch headache o.
DeleteAfter selling whatever, how are we sure the proceeds ain't gonna be shared amongst themselves? They should not sell anything mbok. Mfana itoho National Asset, it's from the Oga @ the top.
ReplyDeleteDumb Buhari
ReplyDeleteThis Dangothief is looking for a way to control Nigeria, through Economy.
ReplyDelete#JOeFIRSt
See the useless people that want to sell Nigeria. See that coconut head CBN that dont know his job
ReplyDeleteWhom shall it be sold to? Dangote and other bank debtors?
ReplyDeleteI am not even understanding what they are talking about.
ReplyDeleteMake dem kuku sell the country sef,cos my half bag of rice will soon finish
ReplyDeleteIt's a bug no to sell our Niger Delta. Pls Niger Deltans open your eyes. This is back door way to take our resources
ReplyDeleteKai stella anywhere belle face woman. They should sell so Dangote will become the 10th richest man in the world abi? Sellers, there are other ways out, apart from selling, you sell assets when a country is completely broke, and to be honest we arent broke, Buhari is just saving the money for us. 4 years go soon waka.
ReplyDeleteGovernment should encourage Mining, Manufacturing and Processing and these cannot happen if citizens lack ordinary water and roads are in a horrible state around the nation.
selling the country assets is as worst as calling investors to come buy Nigeria now. slave trade in disguise. let d change begin with them by putting a stop to allowances they received if they really mean well for the country. they should donate all their assets abroad to FG.
ReplyDeleteWith the intellectuals we have in the country I am surprised at the simple economics that seems so difficult to apply.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to sell assets, what policies have you put in place, how will the monies be spent or are we selling to checkmate recurrent expenditures or to put structures in place. We all know the problem is not in selling but in our Policies.
Imagine a man with 5 children and he goes broke really broke and can't pay school fees and feeding of 4 of his children.
The 5th child is rich enough and tells the father to sell his houses and land to him, that's just how I see Dangote right now... an opportunist. As a business man advise the govt on policies to embrace and don't play on our intelligence.
Sell what? They should not sell anything jare
ReplyDeleteIts so shameful how our senators conduct themselves..which one of them has offered to slash their outrageous salaries for the good of the country..They don't want to sacrifice but are ready to sell the country for their selfish reasons..
ReplyDeleteMy people when we dey vote make we no just put mind for presidential candidate only but remember to consider these senators cause they have nothing to Offer
Buhari used the tsa to destroy the economy.
ReplyDeleteAndy Iba spoke like a very good bizness man if they sale our assets now in recession what will we sale in another recession? This is question said it all # SAY NO TO SALE OF NIGERIAN ASSETS#
ReplyDeleteNigeria is broke. The country has failed. If they like they should not sell assets and pray in tongues for money to come instead. Idiots that do not comprehend that selling portions of assets will bring investments in. It is called recapitalisation. The white people cannot carry the oil fields, gas tanks or mines away. Is Nigeria processing finished product of anything? Buhari has wrecked Nigeria.
ReplyDelete