N'ASSEMBLY MAY REVIEW 2011 BUDGET, SAYS GOS

Senate Committee Chairman on Capital Market, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (GOS) has hinted that the National Assembly, especially the Senate may review the recently passed 2011 budget because it is still subject to criticisms.

Solomon said this at a breakfast meeting with newsmen yesterday in Lagos, explaining that there is every indication that the budget may not have been thoroughly considered by the National Assembly because of the timing.

'I strongly believe we may review the budget. apart from the fact that members did not pay quality attention since we were all busy with our election matters and nobody will blame us for that. It is still subject to criticisms from different quarters of the system. And, the moment we return after the elections, especially with new members, we may be compelled to review it in the overall interest of all,' he said.

He noted that the passage of the budget came at a time members of the legislature were busy coordinating their election campaigns in their various constituencies and that members may not have critically dissected it.

On the state of the nation, Solomon who represents Lagos West Senatorial District noted that the prevalent indiscipline in the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is largely responsible for the lack of development in the country.

He said a situation where the party supremacy exists only on paper, renders the leadership impotent.

The senator, who expressed confidence in the ability of his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to spring surprises in the forthcoming elections, cited instances where the PDP leadership would give a certain directive, and its members in key government positions would flout the orders, giving various excuses.

Besides, he described as worrisome, a situation where substantive and junior ministers disagree on same issues as if they are of different political parties.

Developments such as these, Solomon said are responsible for the prevalent under-developments across the country either on the altar of politics or muscle-flexing between two senior government officials. He said as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Capital Market, he has had the opportunity through oversight functions, to see some of the many problems of the country, majority of which still boils down to indiscipline.

'You'll be forced to wonder if indeed, these people belong to the same party. Late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua had partly resolved this unnecessary rivalry when he gave specific schedules to all ministers with strong warning that no one must cross the borderline. But President Goodluck Jonathan appears indifferent and this is why you see some ministers arrogantly saying I am the minister as if the other is his subject.

Such indiscipline is what is manifesting in the under-development of the country and it is an indication of the lack of cohesion in the PDP,' he said.