Nigeria: Senate issues deadline to MDAs to defend Buhari’s loan request

Nigeria’s Senate on Wednesday issued a two-week deadline to Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDA, to defend President Muhammadu Buhari’s loan request before the National Assembly.

Consequently, the concerned MDAs would appear before the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.

This is pursuant to a  resolution adopted on point of order (43) raised at plenary by the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Clifford Ordia (Edo Central Senatorial district).

Ordia pointed out the failure of relevant Ministries and Agencies of government to appear before the Committee to defend the proposed allocation of monies for projects under their supervision and captured in President Buhari’s loan request.

It was gathered that the affected MDAs are the Federal Ministries of Education, Power, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Water Resources, Communication and Digital Economy, Health, Humanitarian Affairs and, Agriculture.

In his ruling, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan directed the MDAs to provide necessary information required by the Senate to reach a decision on Buhari’s loan request.

Lawan said: “Because you have come under order 43 on personal explanation, this is not open to debate.

“But let me advise that this Senate is committed to ensuring that such important issue like the foreign loan request of the executive needs to be taken with seriousness by both sides (the Executive and Legislature).

“The Senate is making every possible effort that we understand why the request, therefore, we need details, we need information so that we take the appropriate decision as quickly as possible.

“So, I will ask these agencies that have not appeared before the Committee to do so between now and Monday. So, I believe this is an advice that would be taken very seriously by these agencies.”