Nigeria lawmakers finally send 2016 budget details to Buhari
Thu Apr 07, 2016 10:35:am National
2.4K By sosa hills
The joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Appropriation on Wednesday submitted the details of 2016 Appropriation Bill to the Clerk of the National Assembly for onward transmission to the Presidency.
The National Assembly had passed the Appropriation Bill on March 23, 2016 but President Muhammadu Buhari declared that he would crosscheck the details before signing it.
After presenting the 2016 Appropriation Bill to the Clerk of the National Assembly on Wednesday, Alhaji Salisu Mai kasuwa, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin, told journalists that the panel had finally harmonized the details of the document before it was submitted to the Clerk of the National Assembly.
Jibrin, who represented Senator Danjuma Goje as co-chairman of the Joint Appropriation Committee, said the panel would communicate to the two Special Assistants to President Buhari on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang and Hon. Abdulraman Kawu for onward transmission of the Appropriation Bill for his assent.
He noted that the committee had painstakingly concluded work on the breakdown of the budget to enable the President give his assent to it, having sent the framework of the budget to the Presidency ahead of the details.
Hon. Jibrin thanked Nigerians for their patience and understanding.
He said: "I also want to reiterate that it took us extra weeks to get the details ready, not because there was anything untoward going on, but rather so we could correct all the inconsistencies, errors, omissions and padding in the document submitted to us in December last year," he said.
The lawmaker stated that the budget, being the most important economic policy tool of government, provides a comprehensive statement of priorities as a nation.
representatives of the people, the National Assembly remains the appropriate place to ensure that the details of such a document best match our national goals and aspirations.
"Being the most important economic policy tool of government, the budget provides a comprehensive statement of our priorities as a nation.
"And as representatives of the people, the National Assembly remains the appropriate place to ensure that the details of such a document best match our national goals and aspirations.
"Therefore, what we have been doing in these past few weeks is to balance the projections for revenue against the estimates for expenditure based on the reality of our situation today," he said.
He also said that it was unfortunate that the task had been made very difficult by the sloppy manner in which the 2016 Appropriation Bill was prepared by the executive.
"Many of the officials who came before our various committees practically disowned the inputs from their departments and ministries. In most instances, and across several agencies, the bill that was initially presented to us failed in many respects to connect with the policy thrust of the government and the needs of our people.
"That is aside the fact that most of the figures simply did not just add up. It was one of the most controversial budgets that ever came to the National Assembly from the Executive," he added.
While commending President Buhari, Jibrin said the President had showed leadership and intervened which has helped in resolving what had become a serious log jam.
He said some officials in the executive branch have also been removed from their duty posts because of those glaring lapses.
"That happened because the President took direct responsibility and got involved in the process, not only to ensure synergy between the executive and the legislature, but also so that we could both arrive at a budget that is implementable for the good of all Nigerians," he said.
He however stressed that it was the first time Nigeria had a transition from the ruling political party to the opposition, which is the cause of some of the problems.
He urged the president to abide strictly with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act which stipulates that the appropriation bill be presented early so that there could be sufficient time for interactive sessions between the executive and the legislature before the commencement of committee hearings.
"That way, we can avoid some of the controversies that dogged this year's budget and add value to the entire process," the statement added.
The National Assembly had passed the Appropriation Bill on March 23, 2016 but President Muhammadu Buhari declared that he would crosscheck the details before signing it.
After presenting the 2016 Appropriation Bill to the Clerk of the National Assembly on Wednesday, Alhaji Salisu Mai kasuwa, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin, told journalists that the panel had finally harmonized the details of the document before it was submitted to the Clerk of the National Assembly.
Jibrin, who represented Senator Danjuma Goje as co-chairman of the Joint Appropriation Committee, said the panel would communicate to the two Special Assistants to President Buhari on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang and Hon. Abdulraman Kawu for onward transmission of the Appropriation Bill for his assent.
He noted that the committee had painstakingly concluded work on the breakdown of the budget to enable the President give his assent to it, having sent the framework of the budget to the Presidency ahead of the details.
Hon. Jibrin thanked Nigerians for their patience and understanding.
He said: "I also want to reiterate that it took us extra weeks to get the details ready, not because there was anything untoward going on, but rather so we could correct all the inconsistencies, errors, omissions and padding in the document submitted to us in December last year," he said.
The lawmaker stated that the budget, being the most important economic policy tool of government, provides a comprehensive statement of priorities as a nation.
representatives of the people, the National Assembly remains the appropriate place to ensure that the details of such a document best match our national goals and aspirations.
"Being the most important economic policy tool of government, the budget provides a comprehensive statement of our priorities as a nation.
"And as representatives of the people, the National Assembly remains the appropriate place to ensure that the details of such a document best match our national goals and aspirations.
"Therefore, what we have been doing in these past few weeks is to balance the projections for revenue against the estimates for expenditure based on the reality of our situation today," he said.
He also said that it was unfortunate that the task had been made very difficult by the sloppy manner in which the 2016 Appropriation Bill was prepared by the executive.
"Many of the officials who came before our various committees practically disowned the inputs from their departments and ministries. In most instances, and across several agencies, the bill that was initially presented to us failed in many respects to connect with the policy thrust of the government and the needs of our people.
"That is aside the fact that most of the figures simply did not just add up. It was one of the most controversial budgets that ever came to the National Assembly from the Executive," he added.
While commending President Buhari, Jibrin said the President had showed leadership and intervened which has helped in resolving what had become a serious log jam.
He said some officials in the executive branch have also been removed from their duty posts because of those glaring lapses.
"That happened because the President took direct responsibility and got involved in the process, not only to ensure synergy between the executive and the legislature, but also so that we could both arrive at a budget that is implementable for the good of all Nigerians," he said.
He however stressed that it was the first time Nigeria had a transition from the ruling political party to the opposition, which is the cause of some of the problems.
He urged the president to abide strictly with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act which stipulates that the appropriation bill be presented early so that there could be sufficient time for interactive sessions between the executive and the legislature before the commencement of committee hearings.
"That way, we can avoid some of the controversies that dogged this year's budget and add value to the entire process," the statement added.
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