The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, said on Sunday that lawmakers would not overlook thoroughness just because they must pass the 2017 budget in time for the executive to implement.
He told The media that the budget would be a key item for debate as members prepared to reconvene on Tuesday (tomorrow).
Gbajabiamila explained that much as the members would work hard to ensure that the budget was out of the National Assembly in time, they would not rush things simply to satisfy that purpose.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, on December 14, 2016, presented a budget size of N7.298tn to a joint session of the National Assembly, a day before the lawmakers proceeded on their Christmas and New Year break.
It came behind the September date as provided under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.
Members are expected to get their individual copies from Tuesday as they reconvene to study the details for debate.
Gbajabiamila, a member of the All Progressives Congress, added, “We will do all we can as a House to ensure the speedy passage of the budget without sacrificing due diligence, to use the language we are too familiar with.
“In other words, we will not sacrifice thoroughness on the altar of speed.
“The budget was laid a day before the National Assembly went on its annual Christmas vacation; so, proper work cannot start until resumption.
“This is an opportunity to call on the executive as I have always done, to present the budget way before the end of the fiscal year, which ordinarily is December 31.
“However, we must bear in mind that the budget year now runs till the end of March for the expiration of the 2016 budget; so, there is still a long lifeline for the passage of the 2017 budget.”
The spokesman for the House, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, also corroborated Gbajabiamila’s position, saying members would devote adequate time to the budget before passing the details.
“The budget will be a major issue on our agenda. We are going to study every detail. The process has to be thorough and transparent,” he added.
On the $29.96bn loan, which Buhari had requested the National Assembly to approve, the Majority Leader informed The media that several members still expressed reservations.
He said lawmakers would, however, have to place the interest of the country above all other considerations in deciding whether to approve the loan or not.
“As for the $30bn loan, though there are many concerns expressed by several legislators, I believe the interest of Nigeria will remain paramount in our decision as to whether or not legislative approval is granted,” Gbajabiamila stated.
The Senate had rejected the loan outright, while the House restrained itself from listing it for debate, having been rejected by the Senate.
The 2017 budget, tagged ‘budget of economic recovery and growth’, is 20 per cent higher than the N6.06tn budgeted for 2016.
Source: PUNCH
