…as Senate quizzes her on proposed N1bn trips to Geneva in 2024
KEMI OMONIYI
ABUJA, Nigeria – Lawmakers were on Tuesday were taken aback to hear the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Doris Nkiruka-Anite, saying record of Nigeria’s trade balance is not domiciled in the ministry.
This was as members of the joint Committee of Senate and House of Representatives on Trade, Industry and Investment quizzed the minister to defend the proposal to spend N1 billion on trip to Geneva in 2024.
These revelations came to the fore during the budget defence of the ministry before the joint committee headed by Senator Sadiq Umar (Kwara North).
Trouble started for the minister, Doris Nkiruka-Anite, when the former governor of Edo State, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), accused the Minister of not doing enough in office.
Senator Oshiomhole asked if the Ministry knew the nation’s balance of trade between it and other business transactional countries.
“What is our balance of trade? Especially with China. Those countries importing things to Nigeria are expected to build factories in Nigeria. We have to take advantage of our population to grow our industries.”
Every member of the joint Committee was rudely shocked when the Minister said:
“Sir I regret to say that we seem to have no record of our balance of trade.
“Or at least it doesn’t exist in the Ministry and that is why we initiated a new unit called trade intelligence Unit to ensure that such data are generated and stored.”
Not satisfied by her response, Oshiomhole insisted that there was data at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Nigeria Customs Service, NCS and other agencies, which the Ministry has failed to access
Picking holes in her address during presentation, Senator Oshiomhole raised concern over the Minister’s plan to embark on trip to Geneva with a proposed N1 billion as stated in the ministry’s 2024 budget.
He said: “I see that you intend to travel to Geneva next year and you have budgeted over one billion for that. We can’t keep going on with over blotted teams on abroad trips. Use the experts we have in your offices in those country to save cost.”
The lawmaker said the Minister should use experts in her offices to achieve results rather than embarking on trip that would gulp such a humongous amount of money.
Oshiomhole also noted that the minister was always absent from office by accusing her of not always available in office to discharge her responsibilities. He told the minister point blank that she was always be in the Bank of Industry.
He advised the Minister that, “she would have made her preference of BOI known to President Tinubu before her appointment as Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment.”
“Madam sit in your office and work for Nigerians. I have gone there twice. You are always in the BOI. If you preferred BOI, you should have declined the President’s nomination to be Minister.
“Let’s practice what we preach. We can’t talk about industrialisation and keep importing toothpicks and tyres. We must ensure that we have homegrown products.”
Responding , Nkiruka- Aniete said, “I assure you that I can work from anywhere and give Nigerians results.
“My office is currently under renovation.”
