Nigerian Minister proposes to spend N1billion on trip to Geneva; Oshiomhole disagrees

Report indicates that the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Investment, Doris Uzoka, has budgeted the sum of N1 billion for a single trip to Geneva, Switzerland.

Due to the uproar, the Minister appeared before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Trade and Investment on Tuesday, December 13, to defend her 2024 budget proposal.

Speaking to the panel, Uzoka noted that N905 million was earmarked for overhead costs while N8.1 billion was allocated to capital expenditure.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North and is a member of the committee, however criticised her on the N1 billion proposed for a trip to Geneva.

Oshiomhole said, “I see that you intend to travel to Geneva next year and you have budgeted over one billion for that.

“We cannot keep going on with over-bloated teams on foreign trips. Use the experts we have in your offices in those countries to save costs.”

“What is our balance of trade, especially with China? Those countries importing things to Nigeria are expected to build factories in Nigeria,” he said.

In response to the question on the country's balance of trade, the minister said her ministry has no records to that effect.

“Sir, I regret to say that we seem to have no record of our balance of trade or at least it does not exist in the ministry and that is why we initiated a new unit called the trade intelligence unit to ensure that such data are generated and stored,” Uzoka said.

Oshiomhole on his part disagreed with her response saying;

“No, Madam, I do not agree that there is no data. Such data exists with the CBN, customs and other agencies.

“Sit in your office and work for Nigerians.

“I have gone there twice. You are always in the BOI. If you preferred BOI, you should have declined the president’s nomination to be a minister,” Oshiomhole said.

Uzoka replied saying her office was under renovation, but she could work from anywhere and produce results.

“I assure you that I can work from anywhere and give Nigerians results,” she said.