Senate gives committees deadline to submit reports on budget

Upper chamber fixes April 16 as tentative date to pass it
The Senate has given fresh deadline of Friday to all standing committees to submit their reports to the Appropriation Committee for final preparation.

It also directed the Appropriation Committee to submit its own final report for Senate’s consideration next Tuesday.

Besides, the upper legislative chamber has fixed April 16, 2019 as a tentative date to pass the budget bill.

Senate President Bukola Saraki, who announced this at yesterday’s plenary, also adjourned plenary to April 9 to enable relevant committees complete budget defence sessions with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Saraki, who spoke after the Vice Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, Sunny Ogbuoji (APC, Ebonyi), disclosed on the floor that less than 10 committees had submitted their reports, said the reports would be considered next week and passed on April 16, 2019.

“Let us agree that they will submit by Friday. We will suspend plenary just for a week till April 9. We should be able to reconvene here by Tuesday, lay the reports by April 9, 10 and 11 and pass this budget by April 16 because we have the Easter break coming as well. We don’t have that luxury of time,” the Senate President said.

He also told lawmakers that in the case of failure to submit reports by any sub-committee to the Appropriation Committee by Friday, the appropriation panel would be empowered to present the submission of the Executive.