The National Assembly is up in arms against the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, over her warning that the government would not be able to pay salaries by September if the legislature failed to resolve the lingering impasse over the 2013 Budget Amendment Bill.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has
stated in her interview to one Abuja's radio station that the federal
government "may not be able to pay workers' salary by October," should
the National Assembly fail to amend the content of the 2013
appropriation budget.
Nigeria's Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy said thus: "It has come to a point where some amendment has to be made and that's why Mr president sent this amendment to the national assembly. I think we can continue a little longer and at some point we need the amendment to pass, because come September or October, we may not be able to pay salary.
"We have been talking with various committees and the leadership in a collegial way trying to see how we can fix this problem. But one specific example that is critical is the salary and between now and October, we will need about N32 billion."
Speaking on the current state of Nigerian economy, the Minister tried to refute the reports that the country is broke, stating that Nigeria's economy is "strong but currently experiencing some cash flow hiccups".
"We have been very open about it. I always believe in telling Nigerians about what the situation is all about with regards to the budget, with regards to the economy. Nigerian economy is fundamentally strong but within a strong economy, you can experience a cash flow problem. Outside agents regard us as fundamentally strong. Now the issue is we are experiencing short term problem," she disclosed.
It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan has re-submitted the 2013 budget to the national assembly for amendment with a reported slashing of about N56 billion to the earlier rejected budget amount by House of representatives last week.
Nigeria's Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy said thus: "It has come to a point where some amendment has to be made and that's why Mr president sent this amendment to the national assembly. I think we can continue a little longer and at some point we need the amendment to pass, because come September or October, we may not be able to pay salary.
"We have been talking with various committees and the leadership in a collegial way trying to see how we can fix this problem. But one specific example that is critical is the salary and between now and October, we will need about N32 billion."
Speaking on the current state of Nigerian economy, the Minister tried to refute the reports that the country is broke, stating that Nigeria's economy is "strong but currently experiencing some cash flow hiccups".
"We have been very open about it. I always believe in telling Nigerians about what the situation is all about with regards to the budget, with regards to the economy. Nigerian economy is fundamentally strong but within a strong economy, you can experience a cash flow problem. Outside agents regard us as fundamentally strong. Now the issue is we are experiencing short term problem," she disclosed.
It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan has re-submitted the 2013 budget to the national assembly for amendment with a reported slashing of about N56 billion to the earlier rejected budget amount by House of representatives last week.
Reacting to Okonjo-Iweala's statement, the Senate yesterday warned
her to desist from any act capable of putting the National Assembly on a
collision with the presidency on the 2013 budget amendment.
The Senate's spokesman, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, who said the Senate was perplexed by the comment, dismissed insinuations that the economy would collapse.
He said: "Firstly, the Senate does not view the comment kindly. The feeling of the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly, has always been that we don't expect ministers, appointees of the president, to make comments that tend to make the legislature to be on a collision with the executive.
"We are working towards the same purpose. We do not agree with the minister that the economy will shut down if the National Assembly does not do anything about the budget."
Was it wrong for her to make that statement?
The Senate's spokesman, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, who said the Senate was perplexed by the comment, dismissed insinuations that the economy would collapse.
He said: "Firstly, the Senate does not view the comment kindly. The feeling of the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly, has always been that we don't expect ministers, appointees of the president, to make comments that tend to make the legislature to be on a collision with the executive.
"We are working towards the same purpose. We do not agree with the minister that the economy will shut down if the National Assembly does not do anything about the budget."
Was it wrong for her to make that statement?
Wicked pple dey shuld better make amendments wat do dey mean by nt paying salary october so pple wil die may God punish them I knw we r serving a living God it wil nt come 2 pass so dey wil steal d money 4 their election next year wolves.
ReplyDeleteShe always claimed that the Nigerian economy was good. Now she's come up with this tale. shame on her.
ReplyDelete