The Federal Government pegged oil benchmark price for $75
per barrel of crude oil in the 2013 budget proposal. This according to the
Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala would shore up the economy and
make for macroeconomic stability. Okonjo-Iweala, who spoke to journalists
shortly after the presentation of the 2013 budget proposals to the National
Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan said $75 was the sensible price to fix
the benchmark.
The National Assembly, however, is insisting on a benchmark
of $80 per barrel, after backing down from $85 that its joint committee had
earlier recommended. The minister said the budget was predicated on the
assumption that the country would produce 2.53 million barrels of crude oil
daily. According to her, another reason that makes the $75 benchmark attractive
to the Executive arm of government is the need to ensure prudent management of
finances.
“The benchmark for Algeria is $37; Venezuela, $50; Qatar, $55; Kuwait, $60; Saudi Arabia, $60; Oman, $75; and Angola, $77. What government is proposing is within the ambit of what other countries are proposing. We don’t see any country with $80 benchmark.”
ReplyDeleteThis shows that most of our lawmakers are not close to the reality of serving the masses. It’s all about what they and their state Governors will get.
I wonder how many of them (Lawmakers) look at the daily, monthly and yearly price of crude oil and the uncertainty in the crude oil trade with respect to the global economy.
Weldone Madam…..Continue to teach our selfish lawmakers.