The Nigerian Senate has expressed the desire of the National Assembly to revert to a budget cycle that runs from January to December.
This expectation was expressed by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, while speaking during plenary on Tuesday July 30, 2019 prior to the Red Chamber’s adjournment for a two-month break.
“The budget 2020 is going to be part of what we want to do differently from the previous sessions of the Senate,” Lawan said.
Lawan said the expectation of the lawmakers is that the 2020 appropriation bill will be presented to the National Assembly on their return from the recess in September.
“It is our prayer and hope. It is desirable that this is done,” he said, adding “Once that is done, it is our intention in the Senate and in the entire National Assembly that we devote a month of, possibly, October for budget defense only.”
He said further, “In a situation that we are able to achieve that, no more budget defence after October. Any ministry or agent of government that fails to appear to defend its budget, the National Assembly will take an appropriate action so that we are able to have November and a week or two in December to process and pass the budget and send it to Mr. President to sign in December before Christmas.
“We believe that if we are able to do that, our budget will go back to that regular cycle, that desirable cycle of January to December and that will enhance the budget performance of this country.”
Lawan commended his colleagues for their sense of patriotism and commitment to duty in the prompt confirmation of the ministerial nominees nominated by the President for screening and confirmation.
He reiterated the upper chamber’s preparedness to work with the executive for optimum performance but warned that the 9th Senate will be stiff when it comes to discharging its oversight functions.
“We are going to take our oversight very seriously because we will devote our time here to do the right thing and we expect that ministers and heads of government agencies will also do the right thing. Nigerians are desirous of going to the next level and we can only go to that next level when we are able to work together to make Nigerians and Nigeria better in terms of service delivery,” Lawan said.
