The House of Representatives has fixed Jan. 7 for commencement of the 2025 budget defence by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
The Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Rep. Abubakar Bichi (APC-Kano) stated this in Abuja on Monday.
Freedomonline reports that President Bola Tinubu had on Dec. 18, 2024, presented the 2025 Appropriation Bill of the N49.74 trillion to the joint session of the National Assembly.
Freedomonline also reports that the appropriation bill passed the second reading in the house of representatives on Dec. 19, 2024 after which it was referred it to the appropriations committee, with all the standing committees as sub-committees, for further legislative action.
Bichi said that the budget defence would last till Jan. 17, adding that reports from the exercise might be harmonised on Jan. 22.
He further stated that the appropriations committee’s report would be laid at plenary on Jan. 31.
“We are commencing from tomorrow (Tuesday) to 17th of this month, and we expect that all the MDAs, both the ministers and head of agencies, will come to defend their budgets.
“This will be as directed by the president so that we know what they did in 2024 and what they are going to do in 2025.
“We just had the inauguration meeting today for the 2025 appropriation bill which you were aware that the president had presented to us.
“We are going to study the budget; all our committees will study the budget.
“I believe the budget is for Nigerians, for our development, infrastructure and other important things, and I am sure Nigerians will be happy with it,” Bichi said.
The lawmaker said that the house might pass the budget by the end of January or early February.
