By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
Members of the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Trade, Industry, and Investment on Tuesday, queried the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Doris Nkiruka-Anite, for proposing to spend N1 billion on a trip to Geneva in 2024.
The proposal which was captured in the budget document submitted to the Committees triggered wild reactions from members who felt, it was outrageous and out of tune with the mandate of her office.
The Minister was asked to address the panel and speak to the document as well as an explanation of the performance of the 2023 budget before seeking fresh funds.
After her address, the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District and former Governor, Adams Oshiomhole raised issues over the Minister’s plan to embark on a trip to Geneva with a proposed N1bn.
The lawmaker asked the Minister to use experts in her offices to achieve results rather than embarking on a trip that would gulp such a whooping amount of money.
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He said, “I see that you intend to travel to Geneva next year and you have budgeted over N1bn 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 countries to save cost.”
Oshiomhole accused the Minister of not always being available in office to discharge her responsibilities, disclosing that she is always in the Bank of Industry.
He admonished them to have made her preference of BOI known to President Tinubu before she was appointed 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 home-grown products.”
Oshiomhole accused the Minister of not doing enough, even as he 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.
Responding, the Minister said: “I assure you that I can work from anywhere and give Nigerians results. 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.”
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.
