For many who thought the last may have been heard of Executive/legislative wranglings with the emergence of choice candidates who received the nod of Aso rock Villa, alas, Covid-19 has sparked a bitter row between the leadership of the national assembly and a key aide of the president over the distribution of palliatives to indigent Nigerians to mitigate the effects of the rampaging Coronavirus.
In the latest exchange, there is the Special Adviser to the President of the Social Investment Programme, (SIP), Mrs Maryam Uwais who in her comments portrayed the national assembly leadership as one which is only interested to fight for the interest of a few privileged Nigerians who are one way or the other connected to their lawmakers.
This is conveyed in her response as she attempted to defend her office after the leadership of the national assembly while meeting with the minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajia sadiya Umar farouq stressed point blank that the ministry should be working with the national assembly to contact the poorest of the poor in their various constituencies, since the ministry may not have a database at its disposal, in addition to working with it to put in place enabling laws to strengthen the workings of the SIP
Uwais in her rejoinder to the position canvassed by the leadership of the national assembly on Tuesday stressed thus “the entitlements of the poorest of Nigerian citizens, whose benefits are likely to cease because they are not known or connected to NASS members or any other person of influence.” Uwais made this statement after she pointed out to the national assembly leadership that it was untrue that the BVN and online application were part of the conditions for beneficiaries to be engaged.
A very angered National Assembly leadership through its chairman and President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan have come out to carpet the president’s aide, describing Mrs Uwais’s comments as unsavory.
Lawan who said the comments of Uwais are “entirely baseless”
also added thus “These comments were well taken by the Honourable Minister and
her delegation. The minister was honest enough to admit that the SIP had some
‘challenges’ and also bedeviled with ‘intrigues’ which she was yet battling
with. “The leadership of the National Assembly would not have suggested an
enabling legislation for the SIP if it does not believe in the relevance of the
scheme.” He noted that public office holders should be receptive to
constructive ideas and suggestions expressed to enhance service delivery and to
improve the performances of public projects and institutions. “The leadership
of the National Assembly is committed to sustaining its cordial working
relationship with the other arms of Government as it has seen the benefits of
this approach in the improved environment and speed of policy and decision making. “But this
commitment will never deter or discourage it from asserting its considered
views in promotion and defence of good governance. “We urge officials and
agencies of Government to exploit their access to the Legislature in making clarifications
before reacting to newspaper reports on its deliberations,” Lawan said.
While it is healthy that the two arms are doing a good job at checking and balancing their acts, the concern of Nigerians however is that, for as long as the lock down will continue (because many do not know if there will be an extension by president Buhari) the key players should remember that Nigerians who live their lives daily eking a living from their small scale businesses in the informal sector, will appreciate if something in the guise of a palliative is used to uplift their well being during this period.
This is the appeal from the common man on the streets of
Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Ibadan and Port Harcourt
