…Says Jonathan’s Aides Will Drag Him Down.
The Senate has fixed the price of crude oil for the 2013 budget at $78 per barrel.
This is at variance with the $80 proposal of the House of Representatives and $75 proposed by President Jonathan.
The position of the Senate was reflected in adopted recommendations of its joint committee on Finance; and National Planning, Economic Affairs and Poverty Alleviation on the 2013-2015 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), led by Senator Ahmed Markarfi.
The Senate further rejected the structural set-up of Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) intervention programmes as it affects States, Senatorial Zones and Local Governments.
The upper chamber charged Jonathan to be cautious in external borrowings warning that if the president intends to stop subsidy on petroleum products, specific provisions for subsidy payment should be made.
According to the report “Crude oil production per day of 2.53mbp, 2.61mbp, 2.61mbdp and 2.65mbd respectively for 2013, 2014, 2015.
“Average exchange rate of N160/US$1 is appropriate. The joint Committee opted for higher benchmark price of crude oil but agreed to recommend the adoption of $78 for purposes of the MTEF and FSP pending submission of 2013 budget details
“The federal government should exercise extreme caution on the foreign borrowing.
“Corporate tax and vat rates of 30 percent and 50 percent respectively be adopted for 2013-2015.
“The Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) Account be transfered to Nigerian Customs Service.
“Government should strengthen and consolidate its fiscal strategy to narrow the gap between projected and actual revenue for the period 2013-2015 by curtailing crude oil theft and diversifying the economy to increase tax bases as to increase tax revenue.
“There should be specific provisions for subsidy payments or clear statement if it is the intention of the Executive to stop subsidizing petroluem products
“Senate rejects the structures being set-up in States, Senatorial Zones and Local Governments in respect of Federal Government SURE-P intervention programmes
“The details of SURE-P to be executed under the programme be attached as an addendum to the Annual Appropriation for scrutiny and approval of National Assembly” the report read.
Reacting to the difference on the benchmark figures between the senate and the House of Representatives, the spokesman of the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe explained that a conference will be held between both chambers where the result of that conference will be presented to the Nigerian people.
He in responding to questions from newsmen on the comments by some presidential aides on budget cautioned President Jonathan that if his aides continue unchecked they would cause more cause damage for his administration.
It will be recalled that less than 24 hours after Jonathan submitted the 2013 budget, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe challenged the leadership of the National Assembly for trying to undermine the president.
Days later, Jonathan’s political Adviser, Ahmed Gulak, described the Legislators as illiterates who lack the intellect for initiating implementable Bill
Branding Jonathan’s aides as “lowly” Abaribe said that such vituperations coming from his overzealous aides are not in the interest of Nigerians.
He said “For the record we don’t believe President Jonathan has sent them about to make aspersions against the Senate and House of Representatives. Our believe is that they speak for themselves and they are not doing the president any good.
Our belief is that each arm of government should work harmoniously and ensure that all is done in the interest of Nigerians. For those aides of the president who seek to forment problem, they are not serving the president well. We have very serious things to talk about than the vituperations of lowly officials of the president.
These things are very important.
“We like the president to look inwards and determine whether they are serving him well. We desire to be on the same page with the executive. Conflict does not serve anybody.
We like to have a debate on what will serve Nigerians not on persons who become overzealous.”