Barring last minute change, the National Assembly is expected to transmit the details of the 2017 Appropriation bill by Tuesday morning.
The Senate and House of Representatives had on Thursday, 11th May, 2017 approved the sum of N7.441 trillion for year 2017 fiscal year.
The 2017 budget showed a 2.18 percent deficit of N2,356,773,720,940; oil production pegged at 2.2mbpd and $44.5 crude oil benchmark and N305/$1 exchange rate.
Our Correspondent, who monitored the movement of the bill, authoritatively confirmed that the Vote and Proceedings of the Thursday’s Legislative activities, has been compiled alongside the details of the 2017 Appropriation bill for onward transmission to the Presidency.
According to the Legislative procedure, the signed copies of the Votes from both the Senate and House are to be sent to the Presidency.
Most of the management staff including the Clerk of the House of Representatives and Deputy Clerk of the House, were seen holding meetings ahead of the signing of relevant documents on the 2017 budget.
One of the National Assembly staff privy to the procedure, explained that the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) is to transmit the signed copies of the budget details and the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, 11th May, 2017 through any of the Senior Special Advisers to the President on National Assembly Matters, Its Enang (Senate) and Ismaila Kawu (House).
Meanwhile, the spokesman of the House, Abdulrazak Namdas (APC-Adamawa) has allayed fear over the drop in the production of crude oil from 2.2 million barrels per day to 1.4mbpd.
Namdas noted that the adequate budgetary provision was provided in the 2017 Appropriation bill for he Niger Delta region.
“There is no way production of crude oil will drop from 2.2mbpd to 1.4mbpd because N10 billion was made available in the budget to cushion poverty in the zone.
“If there is peace in the region, crude oil production will never drop, rather it will go up,” he assured.
KEHINDE AKINTOLA
