Chidi Samuel
The Senate on Wednesday refuted the claims by Mr Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transport that the National Assembly was yet to approve loans that would be used for rail infrastructure development.
The upper house of the chamber said that the minister’s claim was not only false but misrepresenting and contradictory to available facts.
The loan, he said, was secured from a Chinese bank and the ministry is waiting for approval of the National Assembly to access the money.
According to him, $1. 4 billion of the loan was for the construction of the rail gauge from Lagos to Ibadan, while $6. 1 billion would be used on Ibadan–Ilorin–Minna-Kaduna– Kano line.
Contrary to Mr. Amaechi’s claim, the Senate spokesperson said, no such loan request was before the Senate.
“As at today, the only request for approval from the executive for loan was the one dated January 27, 2017 and signed by Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
“The request was seeking a `resolution of National Assembly for Issuance of one billion Euro Bond in the International Capital Market for funding of 2016 Budget Deficit’ and we immediately granted the approval.
“Also, in the letter quoted above, the Government mentioned the two rail lines cited by the minister as part of the projects for which the Euro Bond will be utilised.
“So, we do not understand what the grouse of Mr. Amaechi is.
“We view that statement based on false and misinformed premise strongly as a mere attempt to incite the people against the National Assembly,” it said.
The senate further said that “as a former Speaker of a state House of Assembly, we believe that a minister like Amaechi should always check his facts and refrain from making unguarded and inciting remarks against the legislature.
“What Nigeria needs at this point is for all arms of government to work together and create the synergy necessary to take Nigeria out of the present economic crisis we have found ourselves.
“Comments designed to infuriate one arm of government or incite the people against another arm of the government will do no one any good.”
The senate expressed disappointment that such statement could come from a cabinet member, adding that it was evident he was not in tune with the position of the government he was serving, on the matter. They therefore asked him to withdraw the statement.
