Also on Fuel subsidy
At plenary today, Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s contributions received massive attention from the colleagues.
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“Mr. President, Distinguished, I just want to appeal that since we have agreed (yesterday) to hold a security summit, we need to hold it as a matter of urgency. Nigerians want to see what we doing about this.
“I was in America last talking to some group of investors and they said they could come to Nigeria because of the killings.
“So, we need to rise to this occasion. Mr. President, we need to suspend plenary as soon as possible and hold this summit under your leadership so that Nigerians and the international community will see and know that we are serious about this matter and we have the will to address this matter.
“I, therefore, move for an additional prayer that the Senate do suspend plenary next Wednesday and Thursday* to hold the security summit to address the spate of killings and mounting security issues in the country.
On the Fuel Subsidy_
“I have looked at the 2017 budget and the 2018 budget and I can’t find any provision for subsidy. It is well known to all of us that you cannot spend what there is no appropriated for. So, if there is any expenditure going on in terms of subsidy, it is going to be extra-budgetary and that is where the problem comes in.
Now, because it is an accounting issue, I think that we need to involve our Public Accounts Committee to be part of this investigation so that we are able to know where these monies are coming from in terms of the subsidy and how much has been spent to date.
“And if there is need for subsidy, then let us know how much money that is needed especially now that we are discussing the 2018 budget. So I support the motion, but what I am adding therefore is that our Committee on Public Accounts should also be involved.
**Senator Ekweremadu’s prayer that the Senate suspends plenary on Wednesday and Thursday to hold the National Security Summit as well as the for the inclusion of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts in the petroleum subsidy investigation were adopted by the upper legislative chamber