|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Facts emerged on Monday night that the deadline issued by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara for the laying of the 2018 budget report is no longer realistic, BusinessDay investigation reveals.
Dogara had penultimate week, announced that the budget will be laid on Tuesday, 17th April, 2018 while Tuesday, 24th April, 2018 was proposed for final passage of the budget.
However, the 2018 budget was not listed on the copy Order Paper seen by our Correspondent as at Monday evening.
Efforts by our Correspondent to reach the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Mustapha Dawaki (APC-Kano) on the status of the 2018 budget proved abortive as he did not pick calls nor respond to text messages sent by our Correspondent.
One of the staff working with the Committee on Appropriation confirmed that most of the 98 Standing Committees have not submitted their budget to the House Committee on Appropriations as directed by the Speaker.
“You cannot blame us for the delay because whatever will be collated is dependent on the standing Committees.
“As we speak, not all of the have complied with the directive,” he noted.
He also informed our Correspondent that consultation is ongoing with the Executive certain issues including the oil benchmark, and other vital matters.
He added that all the Clerks of the affected Committees have bee mandated to adhere to the timeline, adding that the Appropriation Committee is up to date on the budget so far.
According to him, the leadership of the Senate and House has not shifted to goal post on the passage of the 2018 budget on the 24th April as announced penultimate week.
The source added that some of the Committees named by the Senate President last Thursday, including: as at today, are yet to submit their report also.
BusinessDay further gathered from one of the Clerks of the Standing Committees that Monday, 16th April 2018 deadline was given to all the Standing Committees to submit their budget reports.
It was however gathered that the Standing Committees of both Senate and House of Representatives are already harmonising their reports in order to ensure ease in the computation of the MDAs’ budgets.
While responding to BusinessDay inquiry, Abdulrasak Namdas, chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs expressed optimism that the 2018 budget will be passed before the end of April 2018.
KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja
