Senate tongue-lashes minister Lai Mohammed ~ Zeniths Blog

Senate tongue-lashes minister Lai Mohammed

– It is time for the various ministries, agencies and parastatals under the federal government to visit the Senate in defence of the 2017 budget

– The Senate committee overseeing the ministry of Information was not happy with Lai Mohammed following a dismal performance in revenue generation

The Senate has pounced on Nigeria’s minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed over what it described as poor revenue generated by his ministry in 2016.

Senate queries Lai Mohammed over ministry's poor performance

Lai Mohammed was queried for his ministry’s poor performance

Chairman of the Senate committee on culture and tourism, Mathew Urhoghide, who spoke during the sectoral budget defence of the ministry in Abuja on Tuesday, February 14, also queried Mohammed over alleged misappropriation of funds under his leadership.

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Urhoghide was not happy that Mohammed’s ministry only generated N620,000 in 2016.

The Guardian reports that the minister was queried for allegedly diverting N60 million earmarked for the purchase of lands in Lagos, Adamawa and Edo states into the establishment of cultural industries.

The report quoted Uroghide as asking: “Budget is not just about expenditure. No one is talking about revenue. We need revenue profile. Each time you come, only expenditure is mentioned. How can

you say is N620,000.00 that was raised by your ministry from the culture sector?

“We must exhaust all the avenues to generate funds internally. We seriously frown at the low and poor IGR. We query it. You must look inward because this is not acceptable.”

In his defence, the minister gave reasons for the alleged dismal performance adding: “There are several challenges/constraints militating against the smooth implementation of the required programmes/projects.

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“Some of these are inadequate appropriation; delay in the release of funds; cumbersome nature of procurement process; partial release of appropriated amount; late passage of Appropriation Act; placement of culture and tourism on the residual list, which has made it difficult to regulate the sector; lack of political will to develop the sector and absence of convention bureau to attract big-time events to Nigeria as a tourism destination.”