The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has assured the nation that the Senate and the House of Representatives will work in tandem to pass the 2017 appropriation bill next week for the Presidential assent.
The deputy senate President, who presided over the Senate’s plenary today said: “by the grace of God, we will have it passed by next week and we send it to the President for assent.”
He assured that the national assembly would do everything possible to see that the bill was passed next week in view of the fact that the tenure of the 2016 budget would end on May 5.
According to him, the 2016 budget was passed on May 5, 2016 but under the Constitution, the Federal Government is entitled to continue to spend money based on the 2016 estimates up to June 30, 2017.
“We will not allow us to get into the reliance on the constitutional provision. Hopefully, by the grace of God, we will have this budget passed next week so that implementation will start in earnest.
“I just want to appeal for the understanding of the people of Nigeria.”
He said that though the senate was billed to receive the budget report today, Thursday, but that the Senate was informed in the morning that it was important for “it to be on the same page’’ with the House of Representatives.
“Let me emphasize for the benefit of the public that we were to receive this report today.
“It was only this morning that it was necessary for us to be sure that we are on the same page with the House of Representatives to avoid any possible conferencing.
“So, what we like to see is the House and the Senate laying just the same documents so that once we pass it, we will now send the documents to the President for assent.
“I think it is important that the point be made and the public know that the harmonisation which is going on should be concluded over the weekend to enable us receive the budget report by Tuesday.” [myad]
