The National Assembly (NASS), yesterday, summoned the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; his counterpart in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu.
The apex legislative institution, also summoned the Director- General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, with a view to deliberating on the miserable budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Solid Minerals in 2025 fiscal year.
The National Assembly issued the order through its Joint Committee on Solid Minerals, following refusal of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning to appear before it as directed last week Wednesday.
The Joint Committee chaired by Senator Sampson Ekong (PDP Akwa Ibom South), had last week when the Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr Dele Alake appeared before it for the 2025 budget defence session, frowned at N9 billion proposed as capital vote for the ministry in the 2025 fiscal year.
It accordingly refused to consider the 2025 budget proposal for the ministry and ordered the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning to appear before it yesterday.
Refusal of Bagudu to appear before the committee and lengthy lamentations made by the Minister of Solid Minerals on failed efforts made to get the N9 billion budgetary proposal reviewed upward through the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, made the joint Committee to include the Budget office in the order of summons.
The summoned ministers and the DG Budget, as announced by the committee chairman, are to appear before the committee by 3 pm today.
Earlier in his lamentation, the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, chronicled all the efforts he made before presentation of the N49.7 trillion 2025 budget to joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 by President Bola Tinubu, and even up till last week, to get the N9 billion allocation for his ministry reviewed upward without success.
Irked by the Minister’s lamentation, a member of the Committee, Hon. Kama Nkemkanma, representing Ohaozara/ Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State, alleged that the 2025 budget was a budget of sabotage because critical sectors needed to drive the economy were grossly underfunded.
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