The Senate President, Bukola Saraki has given the Senate’s
Appropriations committee until Thursday to submit the 2019 budget
report.
Speaking on the floor of the chambers on Tuesday, Saraki said the
budget report must be presented on Thursday, April 11, ahead of the
April 16 approval of the money bill.
The Vice Chairman of the Appropriations committee, Sunny Ogbuoji
informed the senate that only 24 out of 61 sub-committees had submitted
their reports.
Reacting to Ogbuoji’s comment, Saraki said the Appropriations
committee will be forced to use Executive submissions if the
sub-committees fail to present their reports to the committee.
According to the Senate President: “It is unfortunate that only 24
committees have submitted their reports. Last week, we all took a
decision here that we are not going to waiver on our position. Our
position is very clear: that all committees should submit (their budget
reports). And those that don’t submit, then the Appropriations Committee
should use the Executive submission.
“That position is still where we are. And I want to appeal to all our
committees that you really have just till tomorrow (Wednesday) to make
sure that your reports get to the Appropriations Committee because
Thursday, you must lay this report.
“Vice Chairman of Appropriations Committee, if you don’t get report
from our committees by tomorrow (Wednesday), then you just use the
submission of the Executive. But come Thursday, you must lay that
report.”