*Senators want cabinet to be reshuffled
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Senator Gorge Akume on Tuesday kicked selling off viable National Assets because of current economic problem in the country.
Meanwhile, Senators asked President Muhammadu Buhari to remove the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, and Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma and look for competent hand that will handle their offices.
Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki had on Tuesday asked the Federal government to sell refineries and other national Assets in order to come out recession.
However, Ekweremadu and Akume during their contributions to debate on the state of economy in the country said it is wrong for the country to sell off some of National Assets because of the recession.
Ekweremadu said,” I have heard about the issue of selling of our assets. I need to caution that other countries are not doing the same.
“UAE does not even allow you to the oil wells talkless of selling them. And of course a country like Saudi Arabia their budget each year is run by investments from their oil revenue not even the air while other countries are investing and with all the investments we have and am sure we will not be fair to the next generation.
“So, if we must sell we have to sell the non-performing assets so that people can turn them around and create employment.”
Speaking on competence of Buhari’s Minister, Ekweremadu said, “The president needs to look at his cabinet.
“He has to put square pegs in square holes.
“Your Excellency, distinguished colleagues, Udo Udoma is my friend, an accomplished lawyer for that matter but in fairness to him I believe he can do better in another ministry especially like trade and investment certain not Budget and Planning.
“There is need to also make probably the man in budget and planning to make to swop, my friend Udo Udoma.
“The minister for finance can do much better in another ministry.
“At this critical time we need somebody who is more experienced to man the ministry of finance so that he can be able to coordinate the strategies for this recovery.
“I also believe that we need to have all hands on deck right now. It does not matter their religion, it does not matter their party.
“We need to go all out and look for the best brain to come and help us to come out of this recession.
“America was in recession in 1930s they recover within 3 years.
“What did they do, all Americans came together irrespective of your political persuation on and they are able to pass solution.
“At this point it does not matter to us whether you are APC or PDP or you are non-align.
“The important thing is that the President has to look for the best people to come together to proffer solutions, it does not matter which party you belong.
On his part, Senator Gorge Akume expressed dissatisfaction with demands from certain quarters for sell off National Assets.
Akume said, “We should put so much in agriculture to revamp the economy.
“I am worried because people who are telling us to sell these assets are people who have a big pocket.
“Our assets must remain for us.
“For many years, we have been talking about cash call.
“Nobody has ever satisfactorily answered that question whether it was Iweala, one of the best in the industry.”
Also speaking Senator Dino Melaye also called for removal of Finance Minister and Minister of Budget and National Planning.
In his contribution economic recession, Senator Shehu Sani said:
“It is very unfortunate that we found ourselves here deliberately because we should have forecast that dependence on oil revenue cannot be sustainable.
“I must say this very clearly that the poor in Nigeria have always lived under recession.
“And what this recession has done is to increase their hardship.
“You can’t depend on one source of revenue and not find yourself in this kind of situation.
“We must cut interest rate, start diversification of the economy, empower small businesses so that they will be able to produce and export.
“The key to getting out of this is export of goods, services.
“This sharing formula federalism has seriously contributed to where we are.
“A situation whereby states come to Abuja every month to collect cheques and go back to execute capital and recurrent expenditure has made it impossible for any form of initiative and ideas to further boost our economy.
“And this is not the first country in the world that will be faced with this kind of problem.
But, Senator Sani who kicked against removing Minister of Finance said all oil producing countries are in similar situation like ours in Nigeria.
He said, “I don’t think finding scapegoats and shifting blame can solve the problem.
“Removing the Minister of Finance will not be able to get us out of this problem because this recession is not Nigeria alone.
“It is all countries that are dependent on oil revenue.”
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