The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, yesterday, picked holes in the Senate’s approval of President Muhammadu Buhari’s controversial N22.72 trillion Ways and Means request, describing it as shocking and suspicious.
The Senate had yielded to pressure and approved President Buhari’s request to restructure the sum of N22.72 trillion in Ways and Means advances made to prevent the government from shutting down on Wednesday.
Pooh-poohing the move, TUC Secretary General, Nuhu Toro, said: “It is ridiculous and creates room for suspicion. We don’t think this is necessary, especially on the eve of this administration’s departure. This leaves us with the question of whether governance is a continuous exercise or not.”
Also, a top leader of the NLC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, sad: “For the Senate to approve such extra-budgetary spending demonstrates the continuing gang-up of those in leadership, especially the Executive and Legislature, against the masses.
“We, therefore, view this not just with disgust but also with great alarm, given the parlous state of our economy and the poor condition of living of the citizenry.”Apart from the N22.72 trillion, the Senate also approved the sum of N180.463 million being supplementary budget balance and the interest accrued on the Ways and Means Advances. It said that if there was a need to exceed the five per cent threshold of the previous year’s revenue, recourse must be made to the National Assembly for approval.
Yesterday’s approval was sequel to the presentation and consideration of the report by the Senate Special Committee on Ways and Means chaired by Senator Ibrahim Gobir, APC, Sokoto East.