– President Buhari’s proposed bill to the National Assembly has caused controversy in the country
– Senator Yusuf Yusuf representing Taraba Central senatorial district has condemned the president’s proposed bill
– He also commended the president for waging war against corruption
Senator Yusuf Yusuf representing Taraba Central senatorial district
The vice chairman Senate committee on science and technology, Senator Yusuf Yusuf has said that the alleged call by President Muhammadu Buhari was uncalled for in view of the enormous powers he already possessed.
He was reacting to alleged plan by the president to seek approval of the National Assembly for emergency economic powers to tackle the current economic challenges.
“The issue of emergency powers or economic emergency powers is becoming a very controversial issue and I think we need to be cautious about how we handle such matter in the country today.
“In the sense that subject to seeing what it contains or what the bill is coming up with, I think Mr President has enough powers to do whatever he wants to do.
“It is the issue of rejuvenating attitudinal changes in the economy. The basic problem is an attitude factor, how we apply the laws, how we respect the laws.
“So I think the question of requesting for economic emergency powers, I don’t think in my opinion should arise,’’ he said.
The lawmaker said in the event that the president was contemplating that, he should shelve the idea and refer to the National Assembly to amend or enact laws that would enable him tackle the challenges.
“Any adhoc thing he wants to do should be referred to the National Assembly. I am sure the National Assembly will be ready to assist Mr president in making sure that all the economic issues he wants to raise or economic policies he wants to make can be passed into law within a very short time.
“To give him sweeping powers, I think it is like the National Assembly trying to give out all its powers to the president.
“Maybe I am jumping the gun but I look forward to seeing the bill as it were if it is coming up but in my opinion he has enough economic powers to deal with all economic issues in this country.
“If it is law amendment, yes he can bring the bills to amend the laws but certainly not to create a law that will give Mr president enormous or sweeping powers,” he said.
On the present economy, Yusuf commended the president for waging war against corruption. He further called on the federal government to encourage what sectorial allocation of credit by banks.
He however called on him also concentrate on people oriented programmes to cushion the effect of the present economic challenges adding that banks should be encouraged to move in because they have a lot of liquidity which CBN is finding difficult to control.
“I don’t want to go beyond that but those who know, when I say guided sectorial allocation of credits by banks it should be encouraged.
“CBN is saying that 60 per cent of foreign exchange will go into financing of manufacturing, so they have started thinking about sectorial allocation of credits, so let us look into that area too.
“In the area of revamping our foreign exchange, the major issue is too much spending on imports of goods and services that are not needed in this country and then we are not looking at the supply side of things.,” he said.
President Buhari’s proposed bill to the National Assembly entitled “Emergency Economy Stabilisation Bill 2016” may be dead on arrival because most senators are not in support to assenting the bill.
This is because of fears that Buhari was seeking to transform himself into a tyrant and would foist a dictatorship on the nation but the presidency has denied the reports.
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