Senate will monitor budget implementation, says Saraki

For Nigerians to benefit from the implementation of the 2016 Appropriation Act, the Senate will monitor, closely, the implementation of the various provisions of the Act.

This was disclosed by the Senate President Bukola Saraki on Friday shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Act into law.

“On our own part as members of the National Assembly, we will closely monitor the implementation of the budget by providing effective oversight,” said Saraki. “We will also ensure that all necessary laws that will aid the transformation of the contents of the budget into practical policies, projects and programmes that will directly have positive impact on Nigerians will be put in place.

“That is why we have started the amendment of the Public Procurement Act to ensure that a substantial percentage of the money to be spent in the budget are made available to Nigerians through government patronage of Made-in-Nigeria goods and services.”

Saraki said the responsibility is now that of both the executive and the legislature to ensure that the objectives and goals of the budget were duly realised.

He called on ministers, heads of departments and agencies to hit the ground running with the implementation of the various provisions made in the budget so that the expectations of the people can be fulfilled.

The Senate President restated the National Assembly’s commitment to early passage of subsequent budgets since the President had promised earlier presentation.