Business
Labour Questions FG’s Plan To Borrow $7.9b
Some labour leaders on Tuesday questioned the rationale behind the Federal Government’s plan to borrow 7. 9 billion dollars when its key officials maintained that Nigeria was not broke.
In separate interviews with newsmen in Lagos, the labour leaders urged government to block all leakages to ensure that the loan was judiciously used.
Mr Sunday Salako, President, Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), said that Nigeria was not poor but bedevilled by corruption.
He said that that the proposed loan was worrisome because key officials had said that the economy was healthy and not threatened by global financial crunch.
“We do not have any reason to borrow. With the money we have and budget earlier made for these projects, we will not have to borrow if we spend judiciously.
“If the N1.3 trillion discovered in the subsidy scam is used, it will help to resuscitate the economy,’’ Salako said.
He advised the government to block leakages to curb the endemic corruption affecting various sectors of the economy.
Mr Bede Opara, President, Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), said that the proposed loan would have long term effect on the economy if the money was not judiciously used.
He urged the government to institute a policy that would ensure that any money borrowed was used for its purpose.
Mr Tunde Abdulrahaman, President, Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), said that government should have used available funds to execute these critical projects rather than borrow.
He said that government should be sincere to ensure that the money borrowed was used for the projects.
Prof. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on May 17 announced that the government had asked the National Assembly to allow it to obtain 7.9 billion dollars to enable the government to finance projects in agriculture, water resources, education and health.