The Senate, on Wednesday, confirmed ten more ministers, including Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Olusegun Aganga, and Barth Nnaji to swell President Goodluck Jonathan's administrative team.
The confirmations, a third in a series that started last week Wednesday, saw the Senate sit out a prolonged plenary.
Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, who is returning to the country's administrative team after she resigned from the cabinet in 2006, said she accepted Mr Jonathan's invitation to participate in his administration out of the passion to bridge the gap between the rich and poor in Nigeria.
She said her policy direction in the government would place emphasis on job creation, infrastructural development, and budgeting trend reversal. She added that she would smoothen project financing, ensure budget discipline, and increase the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
She, however, criticised the current budget trend where the recurrent expenditure triples the expenditure on capital projects.
"I am worried that recurrent expenditure is eating up the budget," she said.
She argued that the new minimum wage was not the problem, but the nation's overhead expenditure.
The overhead expenditure was a subject of great controversy last year after the Central Bank governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, stated that the National Assembly was responsible for one-quarter of the nation's overhead expenditure.
She also said the N18, 000 minimum wage would not over burden the budget.
"We have other types of overhead expenditure which are also contributing to eating up the budget ...we need all your help, distinguished senators, to make this happen. It is not a job for Mr President alone," she appealed to the lawmakers.
Power Impossibility
Mr Nnaji, who is expected to go back to the power ministry, said the nation requires an annual investment of $10 billion for the next 10 years in order to have power sufficiency, "and that is impossibility."
He said power generation alone will cost about $3.5 billion for generation on the average per year.
"When you now add transmission, which has a serious infrastructure crisis, and then distribution and then we talk about gas. Then you will be talking about almost $10 billion per year - on the average - over the next 10 years to reach where we are going."
He, however, added that by the end of the year, Nigeria will gain 1000 MW of electricity and would have hit 15,000 MW by the end of 2014.
"We are planning to have four sources of power. One is the existing power generation of the federal government, which has capacity of over 5000 MW, but we are generating under 2400 MW now. The second area is the existing IPPs. The third is the bulk trader and the fourth, the hydro and coal power plants," he said.
"If you calculate the power which will come from all the fours sources within the next two years, you would have cross the 10000 MW because they are already being constructed, and will soon be completed, and by 2014, which should be reaching about 15000 megawatts," Mr Nnaji said.
‘Bow and go'
Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and Mr Nnaji were confirmed alongside eight others. Half of the eight were not screened, but accorded the ‘Bow and Go' treatment.
Bello Halliru Mohammed (Kebbi) was not questioned before his confirmation because he is the acting chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Abba Moro (Benue) was treated likewise because he headed the campaign that returned the Senate president, David Mark.
Samuel Iorear Ortom (Benue) was also confirmed without questioning, after he pleads having a poor early life.
"I started out as a tout in a motor park," he said.
Idris Umar (Gombe) got a ‘Bow and Go' for being a former senator.
Others that were confirmed by the Senate - after questioning - includes Olusegun Aganga (Lagos), Olusola Obada (Osun), Viola Onwuluri (Imo), and Ita Oko Bassey Ewa (Akwa Ibom).
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayThe confirmations, a third in a series that started last week Wednesday, saw the Senate sit out a prolonged plenary.
Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, who is returning to the country's administrative team after she resigned from the cabinet in 2006, said she accepted Mr Jonathan's invitation to participate in his administration out of the passion to bridge the gap between the rich and poor in Nigeria.
She said her policy direction in the government would place emphasis on job creation, infrastructural development, and budgeting trend reversal. She added that she would smoothen project financing, ensure budget discipline, and increase the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
She, however, criticised the current budget trend where the recurrent expenditure triples the expenditure on capital projects.
"I am worried that recurrent expenditure is eating up the budget," she said.
She argued that the new minimum wage was not the problem, but the nation's overhead expenditure.
The overhead expenditure was a subject of great controversy last year after the Central Bank governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, stated that the National Assembly was responsible for one-quarter of the nation's overhead expenditure.
She also said the N18, 000 minimum wage would not over burden the budget.
"We have other types of overhead expenditure which are also contributing to eating up the budget ...we need all your help, distinguished senators, to make this happen. It is not a job for Mr President alone," she appealed to the lawmakers.
Power Impossibility
Mr Nnaji, who is expected to go back to the power ministry, said the nation requires an annual investment of $10 billion for the next 10 years in order to have power sufficiency, "and that is impossibility."
He said power generation alone will cost about $3.5 billion for generation on the average per year.
"When you now add transmission, which has a serious infrastructure crisis, and then distribution and then we talk about gas. Then you will be talking about almost $10 billion per year - on the average - over the next 10 years to reach where we are going."
He, however, added that by the end of the year, Nigeria will gain 1000 MW of electricity and would have hit 15,000 MW by the end of 2014.
"We are planning to have four sources of power. One is the existing power generation of the federal government, which has capacity of over 5000 MW, but we are generating under 2400 MW now. The second area is the existing IPPs. The third is the bulk trader and the fourth, the hydro and coal power plants," he said.
"If you calculate the power which will come from all the fours sources within the next two years, you would have cross the 10000 MW because they are already being constructed, and will soon be completed, and by 2014, which should be reaching about 15000 megawatts," Mr Nnaji said.
‘Bow and go'
Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and Mr Nnaji were confirmed alongside eight others. Half of the eight were not screened, but accorded the ‘Bow and Go' treatment.
Bello Halliru Mohammed (Kebbi) was not questioned before his confirmation because he is the acting chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Abba Moro (Benue) was treated likewise because he headed the campaign that returned the Senate president, David Mark.
Samuel Iorear Ortom (Benue) was also confirmed without questioning, after he pleads having a poor early life.
"I started out as a tout in a motor park," he said.
Idris Umar (Gombe) got a ‘Bow and Go' for being a former senator.
Others that were confirmed by the Senate - after questioning - includes Olusegun Aganga (Lagos), Olusola Obada (Osun), Viola Onwuluri (Imo), and Ita Oko Bassey Ewa (Akwa Ibom).
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That's the way to go Ngozi,but i can't say same for you prof Nnaji,but i'll wait to see what you do,but i don't like the sound of your bill...
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