The Senate on Wednesday began debate on the present economic quagmire that the country was presently confronted with.
The debate and contributions by various Senators is at the moment on- going.
In their contributions, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and Senator Dino Melaye, All Progressives Congress, APC, Kogi West called on President Muhammadu Buhari to Rejig his cabinet by either sacking incompetent ministers or reshuffling some by changing them to other ministries where they could perform better.
While Ekweremadu urged the President to move the Ministers of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and Budget and planning, Udoma Udo Udoma to other ministries where they could be more productive, Senator Melaye called for outright sack.
Ekweremadu who particularly asked the president to move the Budget and Planning Minister to Ministry of Trade and Investment, stressed that there was the need to restructure by unbundling the federal government because the federal government at the moment was being over loaded, adding that there was also the need for diversification of the economy.
According to him, there must also be message of hope from those in government by giving Nigerians the right message, even as he called for the amendment of the constitution as quickly as possible.
In his contribution, Senator Shehu Sani, APC, Kaduna Central said that the nation’s dependence on oil revenue has been the problem and that the poor in the country have been living under recession, just as he called for cut in the interest rate, diversification of the economy, export of goods and services as well as empowering small businesses.
He however kicked against the sack of ministers because according to him, that will not address the problem.
On his part, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, PDP, Imo East called for a critical Roundtable discussion and the body language of President Buhari must change to attract investors as that would boost the economy and get the country outside the present economic crisis.
Also contributing, Senator George Akume, APC, Benue North West, who kicked against the sale of national assets, said that those calling for the sale of these assets, have the means of buying them, even as he said that the blame game cannot stop. – Vanguard.
