Theodore Orji, chairman of the senate committee on
privatisation, says the senate is not part of the federal government’s plan to
sell or concession some national assets to fund the 2021 budget.
It had earlier been reported that the Bureau of Public
Enterprises (BPE) is planning to sell the integrated power plants in Geregu,
Omotosho, and Calabar at N434 billion and concession the National Art Theatre,
Tafawa Balewa Square, and all the River Basin Development Authorities at N836
million.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Orji said his
committee was not invited when papers were signed in respect to the concession
or sale of these assets.
“I also believe that the senate committee on privatisation
should be carried along when most of the arrangements to either sell or
concession our national assets are being made so that we would be aware,” the
Abia lawmaker said.
”Let me assure Nigerians that there is no member of the
senate committee on privatisation that knows about all these things except they
read it on the pages of newspapers.
“We were never briefed by the management of the BPE. We were
not there when the necessary documents were signed. We were never invited at
all.”
‘DG BPE SUMMONED OVER ASSETS SALE’
Orji said Alex Okoh, BPE director-general, has been summoned
to explain the details of the sale and concession.
The chairman said his panel will check to see if “due
process” was followed in the agreements on the sale and concession of the assets.
“We would ascertain whether due process was followed. We
would also look at the amount that the BPE put up the assets for either
outright sale or concession,” he said
“We would scrutinise the papers to see whether they are fair
or ridiculous amounts because what Nigeria as a nation needs now, is money.”
President Muhammadu Buhari had presented the proposed N13.09
trillion budget estimates to a joint session of the national assembly in
October.
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It is shameful! Secretly selling off national assets? Borrowing money? Not informing the house committee because they feel the committee is incompetent.
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