Melaye describes MTEF presented to Senate as dubious

The Senate said it on Tuesday received executive communication on the 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the second time in three weeks.

The Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn’Nallah, raised a motion seeking for consideration of the MTEF document having been rejected earlier by the Senate.

“That the Senate do consider the request of Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief on the 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Frame work (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper in accordance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007”.

Reacting to the issue, Senator Dino Melaye described President Muhammadu Buhari as being dishonest to Nigerians, insisting that the projections were not realistic and conjured to deceive the upper chambers.

The Senator further urged the Senate to throw away the document for the second time. Senators Samuel Anyanwu, Usman Nafada, Emmanuel Paulker, Joshua Lidani also aligned with the views of Senator Dino Melaye.

“This MTEF is a lie, it’s not truthful, it not transparent and nobody should sit down here to be deceived by Buhari,” Dino said.

“Senate President, I am ready to say the truth and die by the truth rather than toe the line of lies as far as this document from the executive is concerned”.

Senator Dino Melaye called for an explanation on the level of implementation of 2016-2017 MTEF, which he believes was not implemented.

Senator Biodun Olujimi on her part said the document fell short of expectation, saying it was a product of incompetence. She wondered at how the executive came about figures that were unrealistic.

“It’s good at this time that we should tinker with document because the way it is, it is voodoo oriented meant to produce voodoo outcomes,” Olujimi said.

Senator Solomon Olamilekun (Lagos West) stressed that President Buhari’s economic team is in disarray, saying they don’t have grasp of economic reality.

One issue that was the bone of contention was the production of crude oil capacity which was increased from 2.2 million barrels per day to 2.3million in the current MTEF which they insisted was unrealistic due to militant activities in the Niger Delta.