After an interjection by former Senate leader, Yahaya Abdullahi(APC,Kebbi North), the lawmakers reached a decision concerning the Senate summon of the minister of Defence about the Naval ship and NNS Aradu. The Senate declined the budget.
The reason the Senate declined to give consideration to the 2023 budget for the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday was over the failure of the Minister, Bashiru Magashi in honouring the invitations extended to him by the Senate Adhoc committee on the resuscitation of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS ARADU), which is the largest on the fleet of the Navy.
The Adhoc committee was set up in February, 2022, eleven months after the panel denial to look into the matter because of the Minister’s refusal to appear before the committee. Senator Abdullahi said the Minister has refused to honour all 3 invitations forwarded to him by his Adhoc committee in the last three months.
The Naval ship is owned by only three countries of the world: Argentina, Germany and Nigeria. Abdullahi said the ship is designed to protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity; pointing out that while other countries have maintained their flagship that represents the strength of the Navy, that of Nigeria still remains grounded.
Aliyu Wamakka, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy, also spoke on the need to urgently resuscitate the Navy Ship, and subsequently asked the Minister of Defence to go with the budget then return after he has cleared himself with the Senate Adhoc committee.
In his words: “we directed the Minister to go and clear himself before the Adhoc committee before the budget will be considered.”
