The Senate, after its recess, will invite Senior Officials in the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, including ministers and managers of the economy to explain the current economic recession, Senate President Bukola Saraki has said.
Saraki, who spoke to newsmen in Ilorin on Tuesday, stated that the Senate would thereafter advise Buhari to take necessary action against any incompetent political appointees and managers of the economy.
The Senate President stated, “Any country that finds itself in this situation needs to come up with solutions that will address and help its people to come out of it. That means that it is a collective responsibility of all tiers of government.
“Recession or hardship does not know party. It does not select whether you are a member of the Peoples Democratic Party or the All Progressives Congress; or select whether you are from one part of the country or the other. It is the entire country and as such, it must be a collective responsibility to address it.
“The question we should ask those who are managing the economy is ‘how did we get it wrong? What are the indices that should have come up?’ One of the indices I think is confidence. There is a lack of confidence in the economy. Whether we like to accept it or not, people are not investing and bringing in money. Without that, we would have challenges.
“These are the areas that when the Senate resumes, we will have a robust debate. We will bring all those who are responsible to tell us what happened and I can assure Nigerians that we will not cover up anybody; we will let Nigerians know the truth.
“We will ensure that solutions are found and where people are not capable of delivering, we will advise the President accordingly on what needs to be done. This matter has gone beyond man-know-man. It is an issue that affects everybody and nobody is too big to be sacrificed in this process.”
Saraki added, “Those who are technically responsible for the economy, we will make sure we hold them accountable. If there are other people that can do better, who are not there (in office), we will look for them because at a time like this, when there is recession, anywhere in any part of the world, you must all come together; whoever that may help us to find solutions.
“This is the time we really need unity and cooperation. This is the time we must support the government to find solutions. This is the time for the government to reach out to everybody that will help us to get out of recession. Politics is about your people and your people are in pain, you must also be in pain and not stop until that pain stops.”