Senate Threatens Ministers’ Sack …As Jonathan Presents 2013 Budget Oct.4

On a day, the Senate formally received President Goodluck
Jonathan’s request to present the 2013 budget proposal to a joint session of
the National Assembly, October 4, Senate President David Mark yesterday
threatened to pursue the sack of ministers found making unguarded public
remarks.

Mark has appealed to President Jonathan to caution his
ministers against unguarded utterances.

He made the appeal while reacting to the statement credited
to the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, that resolutions of the
National Assembly were only advisory and not binding on the executive.

The Senate President said it was pertinent for public office
holders to be mindful of their utterances especially in the public domain.

“I think the minister is a careless talker that is all. He
didn’t think properly through what he was saying; it is not in his place to
tell us what to do.

“He is not to educate us, we are to educate him; I hope that
the president has cautioned him and called him to order.’’

He warned that the senate would be forced to adopt a
resolution to request the president to remove any minister who made such
unguarded statement in future.

“I think that next time he does that, we will take a
resolution here that, any minister who talks carelessly be removed. ’’

He also stressed the need for the Senators to ensure that
all ministerial nominees in future are thoroughly screened and not merely
allowed to ‘’take a bow and go”.

Earlier, Mark had read the president’s letter part of which
states: “I write to crave your kind indulgence to grant me the slot of 12.00
noon on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 to enable me formally address a joint session of
the National Assembly on the 2013 budget.’’

The president in the letter thanked the senators for their
usual support.

It would be recalled that the 2012 budget was presented to a
joint session of the Assembly on December 13, 2011.