Senate approves N87b for INEC

Senate approves N87b for INEC

Headlines Aug 10, 2010

Share |

Prof Attahiru Jega, INEC chairman,

Clears 3 ministerial nominees

By Ben Agande & Inalegu Shaibu
ABUJA – THE Senate, slashed the supplementary budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission to N87,721,961,531 (eighty seven billion, seven hundred and twenty one million, nine hundred and sixty one thousand, five hundred and thirty one naira).

The reduction, which confirmed yesterday’s report in Vanguard, was N1.897billion short of the N89, 592,874,171 presented by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Despite misgivings from senators over the bill, the Senate approved the amount. The senators also charged the leadership of the commission to justify the confidence reposed in it by the passage of the bill.

But to finance the budget, the Senate also approved plans for a government bond issue to finance an 87.72 billion naira ($585 m) budget to help the electoral commission organise presidential and parliamentary polls next year. “We propose to fund this request by raising federal government bonds,” President Goodluck Jonathan said in a submission to the Senate which was approved by lawmakers.

Although many senators were initially disposed to slashing some of the provisions in the budget, a three hour executive session which preceded the deliberations helped to douse the opposition that would have trailed its passage.

Senate President, David Mark, said the Senate had bent over backward to ensure that the request from the President for the budget of INEC was passed to guarantee a free and fair election.

He said: “We have done this with the hope that INEC will conduct a credible, free and fair election that would be the pride of Nigerians and would make the country proud in the comity of nations.”

Credible voters’ register

Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who spoke shortly before the bill was read for the third time told the commission that every Nigerian expected that having been given all it needed to prepare a credible voters’ register, the commission cannot afford to let the country down.

Presenting the budget, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Iyiola Omisore, said the committee recommended the passage of the Bill because “we are all aware of the mood of the nation in respect of the proper funding of the INEC and the necessary tools it requires to ensure that the 2011 elections are free, fair and credible.”

Deputy Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, said though members of the Senate had reservations about the figures being passed as they did not have the time to closely scrutinise them, “we do not want to be made scapegoats by the Nigerian people” who may blame any problem in the conduct of the election on the National Assembly.

Senator Anyim Ude said the Senate was being held to ransom but “we have no option but to pass the budget with the hope that the committee on INEC would carry out a thorough oversight function to ensure that the money is deployed for their purpose.”

Out of the amount, N25,810,441,531 (twenty five billion, eight hundred and ten million, four hundred and forty one thousand, five hundred and thirty one naira) is for additional recurrent expenditure while the balance of N61,911,520,000 (sixty one billion, nine hundred and eleven million, five hundred and twenty thousand naira) only is for contribution to the development fund for additional capital expenditure.

Senate confirms 3 more ministers

Meantime, the Senate has confirmed Dr. Kenneth Gbagi, Delta State; Hajia Yabawa Lawan Wabi, Borno State; and Hajia Salamatu Suleiman, Kebbi State; as ministers.

The three nominees were sent for confirmation to the Senate by President Goodluck Jonathan in a letter read by the Senate President, David Mark.

Unlike in the past when ministerial nominees were subjected to serious questioning by the Senate, the minister-designate were, however, accorded the privilege of taking a bow before the senators and leaving.

Senator Mark charged them to set aside ethnic and political sentiments in the discharge of their duties and work for the interest of the nation, stressing: “I urge you to put the interest of the nation above personal interests and remember that you are accountable to the public.”

With yesterday’s confirmation, the number of ministers has increased to 42 from 39 which were earlier screened and approved by the Senate earlier this year.

Also yesterday, President Jonathan asked the Senate to expedite action on the passage of the Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Money Laundering Bill to enable the country fulfil its commitment to the Financial Action Task Force and the International Community

The letter reads: “Mr. Senate President will recall my meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly, during which I stressed the importance of the letter and urgency to pass the bills. I wish to draw your kind attention to the fact that the commitment to FATF that the two bills would be passed into law on or before June 30, 2010 was not met.

I understand the two bills are still being worked on by the relevant committees in both houses, which have raised certain concerns on some provisions of the bills. These perhaps may have been responsible for the reduced momentum in the process.

“Mr Senate President may wish to note that every provision in the draft bills presented to the National Assembly is consistent and in compliance with global instruments which Nigeria has signed and ratified. International standards require all member-states to model their domestic legislation in consonance with global best practices. It is, therefore, important that the two bills, when passed into law, should meet basic global standards, failing which Nigeria will continue to be adjudged as non-cooperating jurisdiction.

“You may also wish to be informed that the global financial watchdog is scheduled to meet again with the presidential inter-ministerial/agency committee in September 2010 to review the progress made by Nigeria. It would be a huge plus for the country if the country has a positive report regarding the two pending bills.

“Since the Senate would be reconvening next (this) week, Mr. Senate president and the distinguished senators are again kindly requested to consider passing the two bills and thus save the country an unnecessary backlash from international community for failure to keep commitments and support the global war on corruption, money laundering and terror.”