It was a bad day for the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Doris Nkiruka-Anite on Tuesday as former Edo governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, drubbed her for the plan by her ministry to spend a whopping N1 billion for a trip to Geneva, Switzerland, in 2024.
Recall that the federal government had come under intense criticisms for embarking on a trip to the climate change conference in Dubai with a delegation of 1411 persons, equalling China.
The government was to later explain that it sponsored 422, while the others were paid for by other agencies and private organisations.
But on Tuesday, Oshiomhole also berated the minister for preferring the Bank of Industry (BOI) office to her alloted office.
Her budget defence at the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Trade, Industry and Investment did not impress Oshiomhole and others.
When asked by Oshiomhole if the Ministry knew the nation’s balance of trade and other business transactional countries, the Minister said she did not know.
“What is our balance of trade? Especially with China. Those countries importing things to Nigeria are expected to build factories in Nigeria. We have to take advantage of our population to grow our industries.”
She told members she regretted she had no record of the country’s balance of trade.
“Or at least it doesn’t exist in the Ministry and that is why we initiated a new unit called trade intelligence Unit to ensure that such data are generated and stored.”
Oshiomhole countered her that there was data at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Nigeria Customs Service, NCS and other agencies, which the Ministry has failed to access.
On the proposed N1 billion for the Geneva trip, federal lawmakers were stunned, insisting it was outrageous.
After she addressed the panel of lawmakers and defended the ministry’s budget, the former Edo governor raised concern over the Minister’s plan to embark on a trip to Geneva with a proposed N1 billion.
He urged her to use experts in her offices to achieve results rather than embarking on trips that would gulp such a sum of money.
“I see that you intend to travel to Geneva next year and you have budgeted over one billion for that. We can’t keep going on with over-bloated teams on trips abroad.. Use the experts we have in your offices in those country to save cost.”
He accused the Minister of not always been available in her office to discharge her responsibilities, revealing that she was always in the Bank of Industry (BOI).
“Madam, sit in your office and work for Nigerians. I have gone there twice. You are always in the BOI. If you preferred BOI, you should have declined the President’s nomination to be Minister.
“Let’s practice what we preach. We can’t talk about industrialisation and keep importing toothpicks and tyres. We must ensure that we have homegrown products.”
In her response to her absence from her desk, Ms. Nkiruka-Anite said: “I assure you that I can work from anywhere and give Nigerians results.
“My office is currently under renovation.”
