COVID-19: Ensure fairness, equity in stimulus package for Nigerians – Lawan urges Executive

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Wednesday urged the Executive arm of government to ensure equity and fairness in the distribution of the stimulus package across the country.

Lawan made the appeal during a meeting of the National Assembly leadership with some members of the Presidental Committee on COVID-19.

In attendance were the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of state for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

The meeting was also attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, some principal officers and relevant Senate and House Committee members.

In his opening statement, the Senate President said all parts of the country should be considered in the intervention initiatives of the Federal Government.

“We must ensure that there is equity. That there is fairness in the interventions. Every part of this country should have something to ameliorate the situation whether it is Coronavirus infected or not.

“Infact, some of our states have been in a very difficult situation before the outbreak of Coronavirus and such interventions will definitely help,” Lawan said.

The Senate President also tasked the relevant agencies of government to ensure that they streamline their activities along the provisions in the 2020 budge and to avoid needless duplication of projects.

“In our stimulus package, we need to ensure provisions that will streamline with what is already in the 2020 budget so that we don’t do duplication.

“In our last meeting, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning indicated very clearly that the Executive is proposing a N500 billion stimulus package.

“While this is a very good proposal, how we wish you could even have more than N500 billion, but my belief is that we don’t duplicate what is already in the 2020 budget.

“And of course, there is utmost need to streamline what the Federal Ministry of Finance is proposing and what the CBN is also proposing because some of the proposals may have a spill over effect on some projects.

“So there is the need for the Federal Ministry of Finance and the CBN to have their intervention streamlined in such a manner that what someone loses under the stimulus package of the Federal Ministry of Finance, he gains in the stimulus package of the CBN.

“We must ensure that these Interventions have very clear and definite measurable targets. We shouldn’t just throw money and there and then we don’t see anything because the National Assembly will ensure that it monitors every single Kobo if and when the proposal endorsed,” Lawan said.

The Senate President said the meeting presented an opportunity to have all the facts regarding the the current situation on Nigeria’s crude oil and the amendment being contemplated as regards the Medium Term and Expenditure Framework(MTEF) and 2020 budget.

The Finance minister said the meeting was designed to be a consultative forum to bring the National Assembly leadership up to date “on what we have been doing but also to take your feedback, your guidance and advice as we move forward towards adjusting the MTEF, adjusting the budget as well as designing the N500 billion stimulus package.”

Photo caption:

L – R Speaker oh the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; and President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan on Wednesday at a meeting between the Leadership of the National Assembly and the Presidential Committee on COVID-19 in Abuja.