In his opening statement on the agenda of the 22nd Day Sitting, 5th Session of the 54th Legislation on Tuesday, Senator Chie informed the Senate that ArcelorMittal Mineral Agreement is still on the Senate agenda for this sitting.

In his subsequent media briefing after the Session, he told journalist on Capitol Hill that reports in the media that the ArcelorMittal deal has been sent back to the President is not to the knowledge of the Senate, and that the House of Representatives will have to act accordingly if that were the case.

Pro-Temp also emphasized that the ArcelorMittal deal hasn’t been rejected by the Legislature as far as the Senate is concerned.

Despite the House of Representatives’ shocking and abrupt decision to send back the agreement to the executive, Pro-Tempore Chie in his official address to senators in chambers on Tuesday which marked the 22nd Day of Sitting and resumption of duties after the Easter Break noted the Senate still anticipates a conference to resolve key issues in the US$1 billion deal with the executive.

He however added that the Senate will remind members of the House of Representatives of its communication of the February 15, 2022 communication which contains reasons for which the Senate failed to concur with the version of the ArcelorMittal deal which was passed by members of the Lower House of the legislature.

This latest statement by the leader of the Senate deals a blow to members of the House who surprised the public by convening an emergency Executive Session on March 29, 2022, just a day before the House’s closure for Easter break, only to arbitrarily send back AML deal to the executive for “renegotiation”, without consultation with the Senate.