By Henry Umoru

THE National Assembly has summoned the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to appear before it and explain the reason for the miserable budgetary allocation for the ministry of solid minerals in the 2025 fiscal year.

Also summoned are the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, and Director-General of Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu.

The National Assembly explained that the summon by the joint committee on solid minerals became imperative, following the refusal of the minister of budget and economic planning to appear before it as directed last Wednesday.

The joint committee, chaired by Senator Sampson Ekong ( PDP Akwa Ibom South), had when the Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr Dele Alake, appeared before it for 2025 budget defence, frowned on the N9billion proposed as capital vote for the ministry in the 2025 fiscal year.

The summoned ministers and the DG Budget, as announced by the committee chairman, are to appear before the committee by 3pm today.

Accordingly, the committee refused to consider the 2025 budget proposal for the ministry and ordered the minister of budget   and economic planning to appear before it yesterday.

Refusal of Bagudu to appear before the committee and lamentations by the minister of solid minerals on failed efforts made to get   the N9billion budgetary proposal reviewed upward, through the minister of budget and economic planning, made the joint committee include the Budget office in the summon.

Senator Ekong said:  “Minister, we are satisfied with spirited efforts put up by you to get the N9billion budgetary proposal for your ministry in 2025 reviewed upward by the ministers in charge and DG budget office but disappointed that despite the efforts, nothing has been added to the proposed N9billion.

“Solid minerals is a very vital sector needed for diversification of the nation’s economy. We declared last week that the N9billion proposed for the ministry for the 2025 fiscal year was grossly in adequate and rejected the proposal but surprised that it is the same proposal the minister came with today .

“Therefore, in line with resolution taken now, this joint committee still reject the N9billion proposal for the solid minerals ministry and summoned the ministers of finance, budget and economic planning and the DG Budget  to appear before it tomorrow (today) by 3pm prompt.”

Earlier in his lamentation, the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, chronicled all the efforts he made before presentation of the N49.7trillion 2025 budget to joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, by President Bola Tinubu and even up till last week, to get N9billion allocation for solid minerals reviewed upward without success.

“I met the president on the need for upward review of the N9billion budgetary proposal for the ministry of solid minerals, met the minister of finance, met his counterpart in the ministry of budget and economic planning and also met the director-general of the Budget Office.

“They all gave assurances upon assurances to get the N9billion proposal reviewed upward but surprised that up toll now that I’m seated before this joint committee, nothing of such has been done,’’ he said .

Moved by the minister’s lamentation, a member of the committee, Kama Nkemkanma, from Delta State, alleged that the 2025 budget was a budget of sabotage because critical sectors needed to drive the economy were grossly underfunded.

He said:  “ The affected ministers and DG, Budget Office must appear before this joint committee as resolved.”