The House of Representatives’ Committee on Finance and the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, were yesterday engaged in a war of words during the 2014 budget presentation.
The drama began shortly after Okonjo-Iweala, who had earlier presented the 2014 budget estimates to the two chambers of the National Assembly appeared before the Finance Committee with the Accountant- General of the Federation, Jonah Ogunniyi Otunla, and the Director- General of the Budget Office, Dr. Bright OkogwuThe minister had complained that she was feeling sick, but had to honour the lawmakers’ invitation out of respect. She told the committee, headed by Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC-Kano): “I must tell you that I’m feeling sick. For the past one week I’ve not had sleep, so I’m not feeling fine. But I had to come because I respect the parliament and the committee.
I’ll try my best to respond to your questions as much as possible, and my other colleagues who are also here with me will contribute.” After her explanation, Jibrin in consultation with other members of the committee ruled that they could not take on the minister and would give her 50 questions that they had for her to respond in writing.
“We’re not insensitive to your situation as human beings, and if you had told us this before now, we would have given you some time. We have 50 questions for you, and we can give you time to respond in writing,” he said. But the minister insisted on responding to the 50 questions raised by the committee, saying “since I’m here now, I want to respond to the questions in person.”
Jibrin told her that he had ruled on the matter. “You should provide written answers within two weeks and we’ll invite you in January to appear before us. The 50 questions capture all at stake on the state of the economy,” he insisted But the minister responded: “I know you have ruled, but you have to hear me out. You haven’t allowed me to say something, and everybody is here seeing what is happening.
“With all due respect, I will not tell your committee that I’m feeling fine when I’m not. We have had good working relationship with your committee; I thought we’ll be treated with courtesy, but the way you’re starting is a bit disturbing.”
It was at this point that Jibril walked the minister out of the meeting venue, saying “You know I have ruled and if you don’t mind please excuse us. Members should stay behind for executive meeting. We don’t want any haphazard answers, so you can go, honourable minister.”
But the minister insisted that “I will manage to answer the questions. I won’t answer you haphazardly. I know my health, and I assure you that I can answer you well along with my other colleagues here.”
The chairman visibly angry responded: “I’m sorry honourable minister. You can only decide what happens in the finance ministry and not in the House.” Okonjo-Iweala, who was equally angry, said: “I have uttermost respect for the committee and expect same from you.
I’m a minister of the Federal Republic. When you invite ministers, you should treat them with respect. We can’t be invited and be abused.” She then left with her team members.
Earlier Okonjo-Iweala was accompanied by some members of the Federal Executive Council, including Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku; Mrs. Omobola Johnson (Communication), Godspower Orubebe (Niger Delta), Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe (Water Resources), Mrs. Olajumoke Akinjide (Minister of State, FCT), Senator Idris Umar (Transport) and the Director- General, Budget Office, Dr. Bright Okongwu to lay the budget
At the Senate, the first port of call by the team, standing rule was suspended to allow the minister to be admitted into the chamber for the budget presentation. This was exactly at 12 noon.
Citing Section 81 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, moved a motion that the minister be allowed to lay the budget.
The motion was promptly seconded by the Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, and subsequently, the minister presented the budget, took a bow and filed out with the other ministers.
Section 81 of the constitution states that, “The President shall cause to be prepared and laid before each House of the National Assembly at any given time in each financial year, estimates of the revenue and expenditure of the federation for the next following financial year.”
Fielding questions from newsmen after laying the budget, Okonjo-Iweala said: “I felt very privileged, it’s an honour that Mr. President has asked me to carry out this task in conjunction with my colleagues in the cabinet, and of course, the Director-General of the Budget Office supported me to do this great honour.
“This budget is the budget for job creation and inclusive growth, meaning that it’s a budget which will continue the President’s transformation agenda for several sectors of the economy.
“The budget is going to support the push in agriculture, it will kick-start the housing sector where we can create more jobs, it is designed to our policies that would support manufacturing because jobs will be created there.
“Industries will also be created in solid minerals. All this support will continue to be unleashed. Job creation is the key to really solving the problems of the Nigerian economy.
“Aggregate expenditure, excluding SURE-P funds, is about N4.6 trn and the revenue is about N3.73 trn. The capital is about N1.1trn and amakes up about 27 per cent of the budget, the balances of course is the recurrent, it is about 72 per cent of the budget.
“The distinguishing feature between the 2013 budget and the 2014 budget is the focus we have on really continuing the successes that we had had in 2013 on creating jobs for young Nigerians, we are going to push it.
“All the programmes that create jobs are very well supported, the SURE-P is also part of it, community services programmes will be pushed, the YouWin Programme will be pushed.
“The infrastructure development is part of it, the minister of transport is here, we have been working on rail development. Ministry of Niger Delta is also part of the infrastructure development, water resources, FCT development and so on. “We have privatised power but we will be working on the transmission to direct resources there.
The distinguishing thing is that it’s a continuation of what we have done before but with more emphasis on really pushing out jobs and also supporting safety nets that can further redistribute income to poor people in the country.”
President Goodluck Jonathan had in October written the National Assembly, intimating them of his readiness to present the budget before their joint sitting. But on two separate occasions, the budget presentation could not take place.
In both failed occasions, it was alleged that the delay was because of the inability of the National Assembly to reach an agreement on the benchmark price for the crude oil sales.
It took close to two months for both chambers of the National Assembly to agree on the crude oil benchmark upon which the 2014 budget would be predicated.
The Federal Government had proposed a benchmark price of $74 per barrel for crude oil in the 2014-2016 MTET, but the Senate had settled for $76.5, while members of the House of Representatives had insisted on $79.5.
However following the inability of the two chambers to agree on a single position, a conference committee was set up to reconcile the varying position.
On two separate meetings, the conference committee could not agree on the issue. Indeed, during the last meeting of the committee last week Thursday, the meeting had to be adjourned sine die as a result of the hard position of the members, who could not shift grounds on the matter.
But late Tuesday night, the conference committee finally agreed to peg the crude oil benchmark at $77.5
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