The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, has reacted to the recent call for his removal by members of the National Assembly, insisting that he is not a square peg in a round hole as claimed by some members of the National Assembly.
Some senators had on Tuesday called for the removal of Udoma alongside two other key officials saddled with the responsibility of economic management in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari, with the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, categorically saying; “Distinguished Senators, look at my friend Senator Udoma Egba, Minister of Budget and National Planning, as a lawyer, what can he do? He can be at his best in a sector related to his area of competence.”
But reacting to the call for his removal from the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, the former senator enjoined the lawmakers to go back and objectively review his antecedents, adding that they should be guided by fairness when making utterances about the personality of a fellow public servant.
The Minister, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. James Akpandem said, “In view of the impression given by some members of the National Assembly, that Udoma, is just a lawyer and not at home with economic and planning issues, I think it would be necessary that I make get them informed a bit.
“Yes, I studied law in the university but my expertise and experience cut across key sectors of the economy. I want our lawmakers to be more informed, so I enjoin them to go back and review my antecedents.
“Before being appointed Minister in November 2015, I had the privilege of being part of a number of Nigeria’s economic and development policy initiatives including but not limited to: Board Member Unilever Nigeria Plc, Director of Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) up till 2000, Chairman, Task Force on Petroleum Industry Bill, Pioneer Chairman of the Corporate Affairs Commission, chairman, Presidential Committee on Waivers, Incentives and Concessions chairman of the Governing Board of the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as Chairman of Union Bank Plc, among others.”
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