Senate Not Against Public Assets Concession, Says Ndume

Leader of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, has stated that the Senate only rejected the outright sale of public assets and not concession of the properties.

Ndume, in an interview with journalists in Abuja, said other options on how to generate fund from the assets were still available, saying that concession remained a viable option.

The National Executive Council, the Federal Executive Council; the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki; President of the Dangote Group, Mr. Aliko Dangote, among others, were those asking for the sale of the assets to generate forex with which to boost the country’s foreign reserves.

The Senate had rejected the proposal on Tuesday.

Ndume said the Senate rejected sale of the assets, which was part of its recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari, as it lacked constitutional backing.

The Senate Leader stated that the Federal Government could still go ahead with concession plans of some assets, a move he maintained that the Senate was not opposed to.

Ndume said, “The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in its recommendations rejected the sale of national assets as way out of the country’s economic problems. Let me however make it clear that what prompted its decision was because the process was without recourse to the laid constitutional provisions of doing so.

“However, it is safe to say much as the Senate rejects the sale of our nation assets, there is the other option of concession, which we are open to. As such, it cannot be said the matter is foreclosed.

“Under concession agreement, the nation will, over time, take back these assets after being run and managed by those with whom a Memorandum of Understanding was entered into.”