Before the lawmakers went on a two month vacation, they were emphatic in their resolution that failure to meet their demands, the President should be prepared to contend with impeachment proceedings. On July 19, the President was accused of gross violation of the Appropriation Act, 2012 through selective implementation of the budget and subsequently passed a resolution mandating the Minister of Finance, to stop forthwith, the violation of the 2012 Appropriation Act by releasing the funds as and when due for quarter one and two and subsequent quarters. However, on resumption from the vacation, and following the controversies and expectations that trailed the threat, the House decided to consider the reports of its various Committees before embarking on the physical inspection capital projects across the country.
A week before the resumption, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal had directed all Committees of the House to conduct a thorough appraisal of the status of the implementation of the 2012 Appropriation Act before resumption. The Committees were to request all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, (MDA) over which they exercise oversight to submit the status of all releases of funds; how much has been assessed, contracts awarded and general implementation status of the 2012 Appropriation Act.
On Thursday, September 20, the House was set to consider the collated reports at the plenary but the move was truncated as some of the Committees were not prepared, except for a few. As at that day, the lawmakers felt that there was no enough fool-proof evidence to nail the President or his Finance Minister. Either by omission or commission, some vital MDA’s refused to make available documents, backed with facts and figures to some Committees. It would be recalled that the Ministry of Aviation, that has been engrossed in the $11.4b Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) fund controversy was cited as an instance. The ministry was alleged to have attempted to influence federal lawmakers on the usage of the controversial fund by sponsoring some members of the Aviation Committees overseas for oversight function. The Senate Committee allegedly refunded money collected for the trip while the House rejected the trip outright.
The Speaker set the ball rolling by asking committee chairmen to present their findings that would be appraised on the floor which, according to him, would guide the syndicate groups going for the inspection. However, before the debate went full throttle, House Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN, Lagos) faulted the essence of the debate, saying it was unnecessary at that stage as the House would be better informed on the true situation on ground after the syndicate groups would have returned with their findings.
But before the debate was truncated, Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, John Enoh (PDP, Cross Rivers) presented the findings of his Committee. According to him, available evidence has shown that, as at September 14, the Ministry of Finance has released only 50 percent of the total budget to the MDAs with the release of N701b instead of N1.3trillion to MDAs. According to him, while the aggregate release so far was just 50 percent, the release for the three quarters was actually less by 25 percent. He opined that many MDAs seem to be unaware of what is due to them, saying, “It has become imperative to make it mandatory that releases are made in the first month of the quarter through the instrumentality of the constitution. This is because if allocation for the last quarter for this year is not released in October, then the 2012 budget will fail. Close to 90 percent of procurement for the year is being given out in September”.
According to him, the Ministry of youth development got N2.8b from total of N7.1b for the three quarters, Agriculture ministry got N23b from N48b, Water resources got N31b from N48b, Ministry of Power got N35b from N75.5b while Ministry of Works got N80b from N159.4b.
Next was the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Abudulmumin Jubri (PDP, Kano) who said nothing has changed since the last resolution of the House two months ago on the level of finances accruing to the country. He, however, requested the leadership of the country to question the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the rationale behind the fall in revenue generated from sales of crude oil between July and August claimed to be 2.7 million barrels per day.
To him, it has become necessary to review all business arrangements with international companies, like the joint venture agreement, among others. Jubrin questioned the essence of independent revenue accruing to the Federal Government alone. He also faulted independent revenue generated by some agencies that goes to the coffers of the Federal Government alone to the exclusion of other tiers whereby N1.116trillion was projected but the expenditure of the agencies was put at N1.305trillion.
“What we can confirm is that, today all our revenue generating agencies are meeting and surpassing their projected targets. The implication is that no one can come and tell us that some agencies were unable to meet their target by the end of the year. They are posting well and should be encouraged.
“There is no problem with the Federation account. As at July, we have surpassed the projected target of N3.517 trillion. We have raised N4.801 trillion while N1.386 trillion has been transferred to the Excess Crude Account. Earning from Petroleum Property Tax has also been surpassed by N941b. The estimate for the year was N1.793 trillion and while the projection for this period was N1.199 trillion but we have raised N2.137trillion so far and the year has not ended,” Jubrin said.
He also revealed that the nation’s earnings from royalties has also increased substantially, adding that the budget estimate for the year was N731b but by August; while the projection for the period was N487b. “By August, we have realized N732b giving us an excess of N245b,” he said.
On her part, Chairman House Committee on Environment Uche Ekwunife explained that Nigerians should realize that the operation of the Ecological Fund does not reside with the Federal Ministry of Environment. Ekwunife spoke against the background of the belief that the ministry was in control of the fund. According to her, the ministry is indebted to the tune of N10b and that the contractors handling various projects for the ministry are on the brink of bankruptcy. She said many have gone to their early graves while so many others are in shock at the turn of their fortune.
On the other hand, Chairman House Committee on Aviation Nkiruka Onyejeocha pleaded that legislative mechanism be put in place for the executive to take the resolutions of the National Assembly serious. She said neither the ministry nor its departments and agencies responded to the directive to supply the Committee with details of their budget implementation status. House Committee on Legislative Budget and Research took the matter a little further by preparing two documents chronicling detailed capital budget implementation across the country. The two comprehensive documents were made available to the lawmakers to aid them in ascertaining facts between projects on ground and documents made available by the MDAs.
At this point, the Speaker heeded the suggestion of the Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila that the debate on the level of budget implementation should be put on hold. According to Gbajabiamila, members would be better informed after the reports of the committees that were going on physical confirmation of budget implementation would have been completed and turned in. Jerry Manwe (PDP. Taraba) who backed the Minority Leader also suggested that the invitation of the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala be put on hold till the conclusion of the project inspection exercise.
Thrown in the mix on September 18 was the presentation of the Mid Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy paper (MTEFFS) 2013-2015 by the President, in compliance with the Fiscal Appropriation Act. The lawmakers appreciated the presentation of the document but before the lawmakers could settle down to examine the document, the President informed the legislators that he wants to present the budget for 2013, on October 4. The move was promptly rebuffed. As if President Jonathan wanted to stampede the lawmakers into a making a hurried job of scrutinizing the MTEFFS paper and the 2013 budget proposal itself, he was reminded that the consideration and passage of the MTEFFS paper is a prerequisite for the presentation of the next budget.
To underscore the decision of the lawmakers, House Spokesman, Zakari Mohammed said the importance of the oversight function cannot be overemphasized, while pointing out that the stance of the lower chamber was not a muscle flexing against the executive. He said: “The question of Mr. President coming to present the budget on 4th is ruled out because by next week we are not going to be available. Also, the MTEF must definitely be looked into first, by convention before the budget for the incoming year is considered. These are issues of law; it is not about the House trying to flex muscles. Maybe later, a convenient day would be fixed for Mr. President to come and present the budget. We are considering an aspect of the 2012 budget and not yet completed, yet another one is coming. October 4, is just not realistic, we are going on the oversight and be back on 9th.
“Already we have the inventory of all projects and ready to go. We made it known in the very week we resumed but have to push it by a week just to be better informed. We know a lot of people will not be happy with the oversight function because of the expose that might follow but it is a very critical function of the legislature”.
Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) Dakuku Peterside backed him up saying, the issue of passage of the MTEF before the presentation of the in-coming budget is mandatory and not optional. He said for instance, government agencies in the petroleum sector have done well on paper in terms of allocation releases but that there is need to analyze the presented documents with realities on ground.
Peterside, who questioned the return of queues in filling stations across the country, pointed out that the documents on hand showed excellent release of allocations to the petroleum agencies. “Doing well in terms of budget performance does not necessarily translate to having the right impact on Nigerians. For instance, government has released all funds for the Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) yet we still have long queues everywhere because marketers have not been paid and payment process was also too long”.
According to him, the only means of ascertaining the facts was to physically feel the pulse of Nigerians, “If we don’t get our assumptions right, as contained in the MTEF then we will certainly not get the budgeting process right. What the House is doing is right in terms of law and strategy to ensure that we get our assumptions right, to make the budget implementation done with the right impact,” he added.
Another respondent who pleaded not to be named said Nigerians should not expect anything out of the ordinary from the lawmakers. He said Nigerians should read between the lines because the little information at the disposal of the lawmakers was enough to commence the impeachment process if they were sincere. According to him, Nigerians have been hinted on what the outcome of the threat would be.
“At the beginning of the whole thing, I was particularly happy that, at last we are getting to that point when our lawmakers would make good the long-awaited check on the excesses of the Executive which feels it does have to account. With all the facts they presented at the beginning of this whole drama, that was before they went on their holiday, I was of the opinion that, this time, the Executive would be forced to reappraise their steps on the funding of infrastructural projects. This is because they did a thorough job that even the Executive could not fault.
“But on resumption, to say I am disappointed is an understatement with how they seem to be foot-dragging on their threat. What else are they looking for? One of the chairmen said nothing has changed, what miracle are they looking for in two weeks? We have been told that if the money for the last quarter of the year was released in October, then the budget would fail because total release is standing at 50 per cent today rather at 75 per cent.
“So what are we talking about? They were saying that the consideration of 2013 budget is dependent on what they make of the implementation of 2012 budget, but I assure you, nothing will change. They will end up applauding the President after presenting the next budget at another joint sitting of the federal lawmakers. I won’t be surprised if those people have seen themselves behind closed doors, my own is that Nigerians should not expect much from the whole drama”.
Meanwhile the committees took time out to inspect the N701b capital projects nationwide but the zeal and expectation of the Speaker might be compromised by some committees that failed to heed the Speaker’s directives on including journalists on the inspection teams.
According to a source, the Speaker’s intention was to allow Nigerians see by themselves what has happened to the funds.
“Mandating the Committees to be joined by journalists was to ensure adequate coverage of the inspection so that Nigerians can form their own opinion before the House will come out with its conclusion on the matter. If we are going to be sincere, this is one major event in the life of this country that the executive is being taken to task on how it spends public funds. By the time the House comes out with its final decision on the matter, Nigerians would not be surprised because they would have had the opportunity of seeing some of the findings before the official House position.
“But my worry is those committees that went without the journalists, I am sure though, that the Speaker would not allow such committees to hamper the good intentions of the majority by finding other means to verify whatever findings such committees would be presenting. My only prayer is that Nigerians should see the good intention behind this and that is making the government responsible and accountable to the people. Even if the impeachment threat ends up as a mere threat, something must have changed about governance because the executive must have come to realize that we have begun the journey of holding the government accountable to the people. If the desired result is not met today, surely the journey has started and we are sure to get there, probably sooner than later because not to start at all would not augur well for our democracy”.
However, when on Wednesday President Jonathan presented the 2013 budget, Tambuwal delivered a damning verdict on the 2012 Budget. Notwithstanding the standing ovation that President Jonathan got, Tambuwal reminded him that the implementation has been very poor. Whether the House will do more than what the Speaker has done only time will tell.
