The two ministers
Budget defense hindered by minister’s absence. The absence of the two ministers in charge of the Petroleum Resources Ministry (Oil and Gas), Heineken Lokpobiri and Ekperipe Ekpo, on Thursday halted the ministry’s budget defense before a Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives.
The Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources rejected the ministry’s argument and demanded that the two ministers come before it on Monday, December 19.
Both the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives have guaranteed everyone that the budget would be passed before the end of the year in order to keep the budget cycle running from January to December.
To achieve this goal, the committee wants the budget defense to be expedited.
The adjournment came as a result of a move by Abdulaziz Yari, who stated that the committee was forced to adjourn due to the absence of the authorities.
He requested that the two Ministers be given another chance to address the joint committee.
Alhassan Doguwa, Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), had previously warned that the Committee would only engage with ministers, ruling out representation by proxy.