Senate summons Finance Minister over unexplained N147bn in Ministry of Power budget

By Adeleye Kunle

The Senate Committee on Power has summoned the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed over N147 billion allegedly included in the capital project of the Ministry of Power.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Gabriel Suswan (PDP Benue North East), who summoned the minister during the budget defence of the Ministry of Power claimed that the committee can’t explain how the fund for the bilateral/multilateral project in the power sector is being expended.

He said: “The actual capital budget of the Ministry of Power for 2023 is N44 billion while N147 billion is meant for bilateral and multilateral. We can’t explain how they are expended, you can’t lay your hand on the projects, we cannot oversight it and the ministry of power does not know about it; (therefore) we are inviting the Minister of Finance to come and explain to us (because) the money has been put in the budget year in, year out.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Engineer Abubakar Aliyu presented a budget of N250 billion for the Ministry