Against the backdrop of Senate refusal to en­dorse the planned sale of some national assets reflate the economy, the Senate Lead­er, Senator Ali Ndume, has said that the concessioning of the as­sets, remains viable path option.
Ndume journalists in Abu­ja on Sunday that the reason behind the Upper Chamber’s rejection of the sale of the na­tion’s assets, as contained in its recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari last week, was due to non-adherence to constitutional provisions for the planned exercise.
The Senate Leader however said further consideration into the matter was not foreclosed since the government could go ahead with concessioning of the assets, a decision which he maintained the Senate was not opposed to.
He said: “The Senate in its recommendations rejected the sales of national assets as a 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.
“However, it is safe to say much as the Senate rejects the sale of our nation’s assets, there is the other option of conces­sioning which we are opened to. As such, it cannot be said the matter is foreclosed.
“Under concessioning agreement, Nigeria will over time take back these assets after being managed by those with whom a Memorandum of Un­derstanding (MoU) was entered into,” Senator Ndume said.