BEVERLY HILLS, July 04, (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives on Tuesday directed the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to appear before it for claiming that the House messed with the Ministry’s 2017 budget and slashed appropriations for critical infrastructural projects.
THEWILL recalls that Fashola had slammed the National Assembly for inserting projects outside the purview of his ministry in its budget in the 2017 Appropriation Act, and accused the lawmakers of slashing N21 billion off the N31 billion proposed for the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.
Stating that it was unfair to the Executive for the inclusion of such projects after public hearings on the budget and defence of the fiscal estimates by ministries, he said funds saved were “diverted” to projects inserted into the 2017 budget by the lawmakers, which were not government’s priorities.
But coming under the Matters of Urgent Public Importance on Tuesday, the House accused Fashola of breaching their individual privileges as well as that of the institution of the Legislature, even as they accused the minister of inciting the people against their representatives.
In a unanimous voice vote, the Reps members resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee and invite the minister to explain the “breach” of their privilege.
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