Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has declared that “the National Assembly needs two weeks to work on the details of the 2016 Budget”.
Jibrin stated this on Wednesday in Abuja while briefing newsmen.
He explained that since the budget was brought to the National Assembly (NASS) late, it was necessary the committee took its time to avoid any mistake.
“The general public should note that the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and 2016 budget proposal came to NASS very late.
“A lot of dusts were raised over different versions of the budget circulated in the National Assembly; again some ministers disowned the content of the budget during their defence”.
Jibrin added that amidst the inconsistencies and discrepancies associated with the budget, NASS had been deeply engrossed in perfecting the anomalies.
He further added that the NASS had also “ been ironing out the wrinkles and stretching the twists inherent in the 2016 Appropriation Bill.“
This, he said, was to ensure that the nation moved forward without stagnation of administrative processes.
“In view of the inconsistencies, errors, omissions and padding that characterised the 2016 Budget, it will be unpatriotic of NASS to forward the details without being extra-careful, meticulous and cautious in discharging its duties.
“This is to ensure we do not make same mistake that the executive made.”
The chairman said that the Appropriation Committee needed to scrutinise the original proposal of the budget sent by President Mohammadu Buhari.
He added that it also needed to scrutinise the reports of various standing committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate, to arrive at a clean copy of the budget details.
According to him, this will in no way affect any envelop already passed or the aggregate expenditure.
He stressed that the NASS holds the President in high esteem and would continue to support his administration in the interest of the nation as it has always done.
“At the risk of sounding immodest, the NASS approved the President’s special advisers without hitch, approved ministerial nominees without rancour and approved supplementary budget without delay.“
He, however, maintained that the 2016 budget was the most challenging one the NASS had ever passed in its recent history because of its many controversies and omissions.
The 2016 Budget was passed by the National Assembly on March 23.
