The Senate on Wednesday asked the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salijo, to return on Monday for continued defence of the 2021 budget.
The new date was given after he presented and defended the 2021 budget before the Senate committee of Power chaired by Senator Gabriel Suswam.
A member of the panel from Taraba State, Senator Yusuf Yusuf, had drawn the attention of his colleagues to the lopsidedness in the distribution of projects.
He specifically said the budget proposal was full of uneven distribution of mini-grid power projects for rural communities.
He alleged that many of them were concentrated in Lau Local Government of Taraba State where the Minister of Power, Mamman Saleh, hails from.
Yusuf said, “It is not just the N52m but if you look at from number 85, N30m, N20m, N40 and they are all concentrated in one Local Government.
“That is the minister’s Local Government Area. 20 projects are in Lau Local Government Area. I am not challenging him but I am sure.
Senator James Manager (Delta South) also pointed out that almost all the projects for South-South were concentrated in a local government in Delta State.
Another member of the committee, Senator Bala Ibn Na’ Allah said, “Those who elected us to this office expected us to ensure that the Constitution which they have made for themselves and given to us will be executed to the letter.
“The President (Muhammadu Buhari) wants to be the president of every citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Therefore, he would want loyalty and cooperation from every citizen of the Country. If we sit down here and agree that a budget that pleases a minister, can come, he (Minister) is not doing himself good because he has sworn to do justice to all manner of the people and not to allow his personal interest to affect his official conduct and decision.
“He has by this, clearly shown that he has allowed his personal interest to affect his official conduct and decision, and that is a very serious matter.
“Governance is a very serious issue I think you (MD) must take this observation, serious and convey it to the Minister. Tell him that the committee is not in agreement with him.
“We will not sit down and sign this kind of document. We will be failing in our duties; we will be failing in the oath of office we have taken to hold and protect the constitution if we allow this to go unchallenged.
” Please let him know, there is no sentiment on this matter.
“Let us all try as much as we can to operate within the elements of our Constitution like said was given ourselves please,” Na ‘Allah submitted
The Chairman of the Committee asked the agency to return to its office and correct the inequalities discovered in the project location.
He added, “We will do what is right in the eyes of the people. The power of appropriation belongs to us (National Assembly).”
