Oshiomhole grills Trade Minister for proposing to spend N1bn on single trip to Geneva

The Minister of Trade, Industry, And Investment, Doris Uzoka, has budgeted the sum of N1 billion for a scheduled trip to Geneva, Switzerland in 2024.

This became public when the minister appeared before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Trade and Investment on Tuesday to defend her ministry’s 2024 budget proposal.

Uzoka told the panel that N905 million was earmarked for overhead costs while N8.1 billion was allocated to capital expenditure according to TheCable.

Her budget was, however, subject to intense scrutiny when Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North and is a member of the committee, frowned on the N1 billion proposed for a trip to Geneva, Switzerland, in the budget.

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.”

The lawmaker also asked the minister where the country’s balance of trade stood, especially with China, saying Nigerian needs to take advantage of its population to grow its industries.

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

But the minister said her ministry did not have such records.

“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 disagreed with the position of the minister, noting that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Customs Service and some other agencies.

“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.

However, the minister said her office was under renovation, adding that she could work from anywhere and produce results.

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