The
Senate on Sunday said any Senator that tavels with the Minister of
Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, on her proposed three-nation tour would not
be representing the upper arm of the National Assembly.
The Chairman of the
Senate Committee on Information and Media, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe,
made this known in an exclusive interview with one of our correspondents
in Abuja on Sunday.
“If any senator is there, he is there on his own and he cannot commit the Senate in that respect,” Abaribe said.
The aviation minister,
our correspondents learnt, was said to be planning a foreign investment
road show to China, the United States and Canada.
In the minister’s entourage to study airspace policies of the three countries are said to be three Senators.
The three Senators had reportedly accepted the offer, which was said to have been rejected by the House of Representatives.
Special Adviser to the minister, Mr. Joe Obi, on Sunday confirmed the trip, saying that there was nothing malicious about it.
He said, “It is not a
trip for leisure at all; it is a working tour. We decided to invite
members of the committees in the two chambers because they are critical
stakeholders whose experience and input could help our investment drive.
“The lawmakers have
always been part of our programmes. They participated in our recent
conference on aviation development in Africa. We need to carry them
along so that if we come back to Nigeria, they will be in the full
picture of the investments we have attracted and assist us with the
appropriate legal framework.”
But commenting on the
proposed trip, Abaribe said the Senate had not accepted any invitation
from the Ministry because its members were currently on break.
“The Senate, you know,
is on break and we have not considered any invitation for our committee
members to attend the road show. Since we are on break, there is no way
we will be participating. The Senate will have to give its approval for
such participation,” he said.
PUNCH
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