Senate Shifts 2018 Budget Debate To Nov. 28

The Senate on Tuesday announced the postponement of the 2018 budget debate till next week.

The Red Chamber had announced weeks back that the debate on the general principles of the 2018 budget will commence Tuesday, November 21, 2017.

Advertisement

However, at the commencement of Tuesday’s legislative business, President of the Senate Bukola Saraki announced the deferment of the debate.

Saraki said next Tuesday and Wednesday will be for the main budget debate, while Thursday, November 30th will be specifically dedicated to the debate on the revenue of enterprises and agencies of the Federal government.

He said the development was to enable the Upper Legislative Chamber pass the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), this week.

“The reason for this is that we have to pass the MTEF, which will be laid by tomorrow, however, it will be passed this week,” Saraki said.

Advertisement

The Senate President also explained why next Thursday will be dedicated to the expenditures of agencies and enterprises.

“Distinguished Colleagues, as you will remember, when we were conducting the exercise on the revenues of MDAs earlier this year, we recognized the importance of proper oversight of the revenues of these enterprises,” he said.

“We think that in order to give this the attention and focus that it deserves, we will set a date to debate the revenues of these agencies and enterprises.”

He also said that the deferment will allow the National Assembly’s bureaucracy distribute copies of the budget proposal to members of the House.

Leave a comment

Advertisement