The Senate has reprimanded the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, for accusing the National Assembly of refusing to approve Federal Government’s request for a foreign loan, and by extension frustrating the construction of Lagos-Ibadan and Ibadan-Ilorin-Minna- Kano rail lines.
Amaechi had, at the North Central Town Hall meeting in Ilorin on Monday, alleged that the nonapproval of the $30 billion loan by the National Assembly was frustrating construction of the rail lines.
Consequently, the Senate directed the minister to withdraw the statement, which it described as false and misleading, cautioning him to desist from statements that could incite the public against the institution of the National Assembly.
The spokesman for the Senate, Abdullahi Sabi, in a statement in Abuja, accused Amaechi of making false comments and misrepresenting facts about the parliament, noting that the comment credited to him was an indication that he was in the dark about affairs of government.
He insisted that there was currently no executive communication before the National Assembly requesting for foreign loan except a recent letter by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, requesting for $1 billion Euro bond.
Osinbajo had recently invited the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, requesting that the National Assembly should reconvene its plenary sessions and approve a $1 billion Euro bond request.
The Senate expressed disappointment that such statement could come from a cabinet member, adding that it was evident he was not in tune with the position of the government he was serving on the matter.
Sabi said: “As at today, the only request for approval from the executive for loan was the one dated January 27, 2017 and signed by Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, seeking a resolution of the National Assembly for the issuance of $1 billion Euro Bond in the International Capital Market for the funding of the 2016 budget deficit and we immediately granted the approval.
“Also, in the letter quoted above, the government mentioned the two rail lines cited by the minister as part of the projects for which the Euro Bond will be utilised.
So, we cannot understand what the grouse of Mr. Amaechi is. “We view that statement based on false and misinformed premise strongly as a mere attempt to incite the people against the National Assembly.
The minister should, therefore, withdraw that statement. Furthermore, the National Assembly will take up the matter with the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. “As a former Speaker of a state House of Assembly, we believe that a minister like Amaechi should always check his facts and refrain from making unguarded and inciting remarks against the legislature.
“What Nigeria needs at this point is for all arms of government to work together and create the synergy necessary to take Nigeria out of the present economic crisis we have found ourselves.
“Comments designed to infuriate one arm of government or incite the people against another arm of the government will do no one any good and we do not expect such statements from a minister in the present government.”
