The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, has responded to the vote of no confidence passed on him by members of the House of Representatives. The lawmakers took the decision earlier on Thursday following Fayemi and the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bwari’s absence at a debate on steel development in Nigeria.
In a statement by Fayemi’s aide Olayinka Oyebode, the ministry condemned the action of the lawmakers as "unwarranted and unfortunate.”However, the statement explained the reason behind the failure of both ministers to attend the meeting, saying it had been duly communicated to the leadership of the House in two separate letters.“It is rather unfair for the House members to categorise the ministers absence as boycott, when they were adequately notified. Tolerance and moderation are essential ingredients in public service engagement.
"In this particular case, they appear to be in short supply and the ministry believes that there is more than meets the eye on this matter. After all, the Ministers are always willing to engage the Honourable House and its leadership at all times,” the statement read. The ministry recalled that Fayemi was the first minister to address the sectoral debate in 2016 and the Ajaokuta Steel Complex was extensively addressed on that occasion. It further noted that the House Committees on Privatisation and Public Petitions subsequently held special sessions on Ajaokuta in which Bwari addressed the members on those two occasions.
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