In what is seen as insensitivity to the current tight economic conditions and plight of Nigerians, the National Assembly has again moved the passage of the 2016 Appropriation Bill, which could possibly give some sense of direction of Buhari’s government, to Tuesday next week, as against today, March 17.
The National Assembly had been going back and forth on the appropriation bill, after over two months of legislative work on the budget. The lawmakers had first scheduled the passage for February 25 and later changed it to March 17.
Senate leader, Ali Ndume, speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, gave the new date, assuring that the appropriation bill would be transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari before Easter Sunday, March 27.
The chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Danjuma Goje and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, had a fortnight ago assured that the budget would be laid before both chambers on March 16 and passed March 17.
Prior to that time, the duo had announced the postponement of the February 25 passage of the document due to ‘errors and inconsistencies.’
But in an interview with journalists after plenary, Senate spokesperson, Abdullahi Sabi, said the appropriation bill would not be passed today (Thursday) as earlier promised.
He, however, assured that the document would be laid today.
Sabi, who also doubles as a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee, was emphatic on the laying of the document, adding that the passage date was merely set to give the parliament a target.
It was gathered that what would be laid today was a conference report (report of the Joint Appropriation Committees), which cannot be altered.
