By Tunde Opalana
Senators from the 19 northern states have rejected what they described as “skewed allocation of funds and projects” in the 2024 national budget in favour of the southern part of the country.
The senators, however, were not specific on the aspects of the funding of the N28.7 trillion budget they considered to be skewed against their region.
The lawmakers are also protesting against the planned relocation of some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and agencies of the Aviation Ministry from Abuja to Lagos.
The Federal Government had directed the relocation of the departments of Banking Supervision, Consumer Protection and Monetary Policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from Abuja to Lagos.
The government had issued a similar directive for the relocation from Abuja to Lagos, of the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN ), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) formerly Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).
The northern senators, 58 in number, have vowed to challenge the relocation plans with a view to getting all of them reversed.
Under the aegis of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF), the lawmakers, in a statement on Monday, however, said they would opt for dialogue with the executive arm to seek redress.
The statement was signed by Senator Suleiman Kawu Sumaila (Kano South) on behalf of the Forum.
READ ALSO: UPU congratulates Oborevwori, rallies support for Gov
The statement said in part, “As representatives of the people at the national level (Senate), we are committed to addressing the concerns and feelings of our constituents regarding certain decisions and policies put forth by the federal government .
“In particular, lopsidedness in the distribution and allocation of resources in the 2024 budget, relocation of some federal agencies from Abuja to Lagos are seriously viewed by us as disturbing.
“We understand the importance of fostering a harmonious relationship between the government and its citizens. It is in this spirit that we are announcing our collective efforts to seek an amicable resolution to these pressing issues, within the confines of our constitution and existing laws.
“We are assuring our constituents that we have taken their concerns seriously and are actively engaging with our colleagues in order to address these matters effectively.
“We firmly believe in the power of open dialogue and collaboration to bring about positive change for our nation. We recognise the significance of our role as a bridge between the people and their government, and it is with great responsibility and dedication that we undertake this task.”
The senators said their constituents have so far shown great patience and trust in the abilities of their elected representatives. They urged their constituents to sustain their support and understanding in that regard.
“We urge our constituents to remain patient as we diligently explore avenues for dialogue, engage in peaceful negotiations, and deploy legal measures where necessary”, Sumaila said.
The Daily Times reported earlier that the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) had objected to the planned relocation of the departments and agencies of the CBN and Aviation Ministry from Abuja to Lagos.
The ACF had described the planned relocation as “a deliberate plot against the northern region”.
The Federal Government had rationalised the relocation plan, saying that it was meant to curb waste of public resources and also, to prevent the rot of FAAN’s abandoned Lagos building, among others.
Similarly, the apex bank had detailed a decongestion action plan, which it said was designed to optimise its operational environment with the relocation.
“This initiative aims to ensure compliance with building safety standards and enhance the efficient utilisation of our office”, a CBN memo had stated.
The northern senators and the ACF however insisted that the moves were targeted at alienating the region and its people.
According to the ACF, CBN’s decision was a disturbing pattern of antagonistic actions often taken by certain federal government agencies against the interests of the north and other parts of the country.
The ACF also raised the red flag at a purported plan by the Federal Government to relocate the
Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting vehicles (ARFF) from Katsina to Lagos.
In a statement by ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Muhammad Baba, the group said it got wind of the plan through a leaked official memo to the Minister of Aviation, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN.
It statement further said the alleged move was one of the deliberate plots by some Federal Government agencies “to always short change the northern region”.
The Forum called on the Federal Government and the National Assembly, to reverse the relocation plans and “apply other honest means” of addressing the alleged over-crowding in offices.
It also warned against the relocation of the ARFF project from Katsina to Lagos, insisting that the Northwest state was the original location for the project.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.