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Why N’Assembly Rejected Solid Mineral Ministry’s 2025 Budget Revealed

Published

8 months ago

January 11, 2025

The National Assembly joint committee on Solid Minerals, on Friday, rejected the budget estimates of the Ministry of Solid Minerals.

The committee said that the estimates presented were greatly inadequate.

The Chairman of the joint committee, Sen. Ekong Sampson, stated this after the minister, Dele Alake, presented the ministry’s 2025 budget estimate before the committee.

The call for the rejection of the budget followed a motion moved by Sen. Diket Plang (APC-Plateau) and seconded by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi).

Moving the motion, Plang expressed displeasure that the ministry got just N9bn as an envelope out of the N539.7bn it proposed for capital expenditure in the 2025 budget.

The chairman also expressed displeasure over the ministry’s budget because of the importance of solid mineral sector to the diversification of the Nigerian economy.

He said, “This is because of the potential in not addressing the key concerns in this sector at a time that Nigeria is in a grand need to diversify the economy.

“The estimates presented before us are grossly inadequate and will not help our economy at this critical period, when we have to invest in the future, consistent with what obtains in other economies.

“We’ve taken this position in the interest of this country and as a support item to the vision of government as it were that this budget clearly needs a review.

“The need for this review clearly contemplates the peculiarities in the sector.

“Time has gone by and you have to take a very bold step in exploration, in data gathering, in tackling major drawbacks that have put us in dire situations as a nation richly endowed but faced, as it were with the contradictions in abundance.

“It is the view of the joint committee that the budget of this sector be reviewed upwards.

“I think that is the spirit of the meeting, in the meantime, we will suspend further decisions on this budget unless those steps are taken.

“The budget for this sector needs radical upward review. So the joint session rejects the estimate before us. We will step everything down.”

The co-chairman, Mr Gaza Gbefwi, representing Keffi/Karu/Kokona Federal Constituencies, also supported the move for the suspension of the budget defence.

“I move that we suspend this budget screening for the Ministry of Solid Minerals for the fact that what is appropriated to them, if it is true, is beyond imagination.

“Also, we are here to pass a budget not for the ministry, not for us, but for Nigerians and the progress of this country.

“I, therefore, propose that we step down this screening of the budget presented to us and request that we invite the Minister of Planning and Budget to appear before this committee,” he said.

Earlier, Alake said that the ministry in 2025, proposed N539.7 billion for capital expenditure and N2 billion for overhead cost, making it a total budget of N541.7 billion for the ministry.

“In contrite distinction to the avowed objective of the economic diversification of Nigeria away from oil into green energy, into harnessing the solid minerals sector, the envelope that the ministry received was a far cry from our proposal.

“We proposed N539.7 billion for capital in 2025, but the envelope that came is a paltry N9 billion,” he said

On the 2024 budget performance of the ministry, Alake said that the overhead cost was 100 per cent performance while the capital was a dismal 18 per cent performance which was based on releases.

“When I did a panoramic view of the entire budget from other ministries, it is a kind of a general problem.

“The budget releases were not as expected which really hampered the capital budget in 2024.

“We rely on your support and effort to correct this anomaly, because if we are going to achieve all our objectives, there is no way we can achieve them,” he said.

In terms of revenue generated, Alake said that the ministry generated N37.8 billion in 2024 as above the N11 billion projected.

(NAN)

News

DSS Issues Warning, Arrests Man For Circulating Fake Recruitment Materials

Published

13 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) has disclosed the arrest of one Mr. Eze Ezenwa Benard, who was recently apprehended for circulating fake DSS recruitment past questions and answers on Facebook.

The agency, while warning the public in a statement on Saturday, said the suspect operated through a page known as “Jobs and Education”, where he advertised the fraudulent materials and charged unsuspecting members of the public one thousand naira (N1,000) for access.

“The public is hereby cautioned to disregard any materials, as the DSS does not sell or distribute recruitment questions, answers, or examination guides through private individuals or social media pages. Recruitment into the Service, when necessary, follows specialised procedure in accordance with extant laws and due process,” the statement reads.

News

‘Na Only People You Gave Work Love You,’ Singer Speed Darlington Tells Tinubu

Published

13 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Singer Speed Darlington has told President Bola Tinubu that public admiration cannot be bought, warning that only those who received appointments or jobs from the government truly support him.

In a video posted on Saturday, August 23, the singer said, “Everything isn’t about the economy! There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you.”

Darlington, an Igbo man, urged Tinubu to focus on police reform and respect for human rights. “The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate. Please, before you leave office, please speak to your Yoruba brother IGP man,” he added.

News

Before You Leave Office, Reform The Police — Speed Darlington Urges Tinubu

Published

13 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Popular controversial singer Speed Darlington has called on President Bola Tinubu to reform the Nigerian Police Force, urging the government to prioritise citizens’ rights alongside economic growth.

In a video posted on Saturday, the entertainer criticised what he described as the police’s systemic human rights violations and oppressive practices.

“Mr President, before you leave office, whether you secure a second term or not, try your best to improve Nigeria. Everything isn’t about the economy!

“There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you,” he said.

The singer, who identifies as Igbo, urged Tinubu to engage with the Inspector-General of Police and implement reforms.

“As an Igbo man, the advice I can give you so people will know your name and remember you for something good is to reform the police. Reform the police.

“The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate,” he added.

Darlington also recounted his personal ordeal with law enforcement, highlighting the system’s abuse of power.

“I was held for two months after the judge had ordered my release. FID held me for two months. According to my lawyer, the Nigerian law gives only 28 days for investigation.

“They held me for two months. What is the extra month for? Because they can. If you give them money, they oppress your enemy. I have experienced it,” he said.