Trade minister under fire over N1 billion allocation for Geneva trip
The Senate has voiced disapproval of the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Doris Nkiruka-Anite, for suggesting an expenditure of N1 billion on a trip to Geneva in 2024, as outlined in next year’s budget of the ministry.
The minister, however, stated that the ministry lacks records of the nation’s balance of trade.
This revelation occurred when the minister appeared before the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Trade, Industry and Investment led by Senator Sadiq Umar (APC, Kwara North) to defend the budget.
The budget document submitted to the committee included plans to spend N1 billion next year solely on trips to Geneva, leading to reactions and criticisms from committee members who deemed the figure excessively high.
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The trouble began when the minister was asked to address the committee and explain the performance of the 2023 budget before seeking fresh funds.
Following her address, the former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North), immediately questioned the Minister on the proposed N1 billion trip to Geneva.
Oshiomhole urged the minister to utilise experts in her office to achieve results instead of embarking on a trip that would consume such a significant amount of money, stating, “We can’t keep going on with overblotted teams on abroad trips. Use the experts we have in your offices in those countries to save cost.”
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