The National Assembly summoned key government officials, including the Minister of Finance, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and the Director-General of the Budget Office, to address concerns over the insufficient allocation to the Ministry of Solid Minerals in the 2025 budget. The summons followed a strong rejection of the proposed N9 billion allocation by the joint committee, who deemed it inadequate for the sector's crucial role in economic diversification.
The National Assembly 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, and the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, to address the inadequate budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Solid Minerals in the 2025 fiscal year. This summons followed Bagudu's refusal to appear before the National Assembly as directed last Wednesday.
The joint committee, chaired by Senator Sampson Ekong (PDP, Akwa Ibom South), previously expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed N9 billion capital vote for the Ministry of Solid Minerals in the 2025 fiscal year. When the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, appeared before the committee last week for the budget defence session, they refused to consider the 2025 budget proposal for the ministry and instructed Bagudu to appear before it on Monday. Bagudu's absence and Alake's lengthy complaints about unsuccessful attempts to increase the N9 billion budgetary proposal led the joint committee to include the Director-General of the Budget Office in the summons. The summoned ministers and the DG of the Budget Office are expected to appear before the committee at 3 pm on Tuesday this week.Committee Chairman Senator Ekong stated, 'Hon Minister, we are satisfied with the spirited efforts you have made to get the N9 billion budgetary proposal for your Ministry in 2025 reviewed upwards by the ministers in charge and the DG of the Budget Office, but we are disappointed that despite these efforts, nothing has been added to the proposed N9 billion.' He further emphasized, 'Solid minerals is a very vital sector needed for the diversification of the nation's economy. We declared last week that the N9 billion proposed for the ministry for the 2025 fiscal year was grossly inadequate and rejected the proposal. We are surprised that it is the same proposal the minister brought today. Therefore, in line with the resolution taken, this joint committee still rejects the N9 billion proposal for the Solid Minerals Ministry and has summoned the Ministers of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, and the DG of the Budget Office to appear before it tomorrow (Tuesday) at 3 pm prompt.' Earlier, Minister Alake detailed his efforts prior to President Bola Tinubu's presentation of the N49.7 trillion 2025 budget to the National Assembly on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, and up until last week, to increase the N9 billion allocation for Solid Minerals, all without success. He mentioned meetings with the President, the Minister of Finance, Bagudu, and Yakubu. Alake expressed surprise that despite their assurances, no action had been taken. A committee member, Hon. Kama Nkemkanma from Delta State, criticized the 2025 budget as a 'budget of sabotage' due to the underfunding of critical sectors essential for economic growth. He stressed that the affected ministers and the DG of the Budget Office must appear before the joint committee as previously resolved
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NIGERIA BUDGET SOLID MINERALS MINISTER OF FINANCE MINISTER OF BUDGET AND ECONOMIC PLANNING DIRECTOR GENERAL OF BUDGET OFFICE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION UNDERFUNDING
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