The Senate on Wednesday rejected motion for the payment of N5,000 monthly allowance to unemployed youths in the country.
The red chamber said it was imperative that President Buhari ask his predecessor to account for every penny spent during the latter‘s administration on the SURE-P and other poverty alleviation programmes.
This came just as it ruled against the implementation of the N5,000 monthly stipend to unemployed Nigerian youths as the President promised during his campaign.
The advice to probe Jonathan was sequel to an additional prayer moved by Senator Babajide Christopher Omoworare to Senator Bassey Albert Akpan-sponsored motion, entitled: “Urgent need to curb the soaring rate of unemployment in Nigeria,” which he presented for consideration during yesterday’s plenary.
After the initial recommendations of the motion, Senator Philip Aduda raised an additional prayer, urging the Federal Government to fulfill one of its numerous campaign promises.
“The Federal Government should immediately commence the payment of the N5,000 monthly stipend it promised during the pre-election campaign,” Aduda moved.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, rose and seconded the additional prayer. But Omoworare raised the Senate Standing Order 53(6) to oppose the additional prayer.
This led to bickering between senators of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and opposition Peoples Democratic, PDP.
The Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, however, intervened, after about 22 minutes to bring the bickering to an end.
Saraki asked Aduda to repeat his additional prayer, which he latter did.
When Saraki put the additional prayer to voice vote, the shout of ‘ayes’ from the opposition senators signifying their call for strict implementation of the President’s campaign promise was overwhelming but the Senate President, however, hit his gavel for the ‘nay’ shout from the ruling party senators, who were against the implementation of the policy.
The Senate President, thereafter, gave Omoworare the privilege of raising another additional prayer.
However, a motion calling for the probe of the utilisation of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) funds by the immediate past administration was adopted by the senators.
Mover of the motion, Sen. Babajide Omoworare, prayed that every naira spent by the past government on SURE-P and other poverty alleviation programmes should be accounted for.
When the President of the Senate put the question, it was supported with a loud “aye’’ from the APC wing of the chamber, with no dissenting voice from the PDP side.
In his remarks, Saraki urged the senators to take the issue of unemployment very seriously and not play politics with it.
“We should stay above party line on this issue that is so important. We have seen growth in the last years but this has not translated to employment.
“Government alone cannot do it; the private sector has a role to play and the enabling environment must be created,” he said..
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