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Tag: 2017 budget

  • Reps pass 2017 Budget

    Reps pass 2017 Budget

    The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the N7.441 trillion 2017 Budget.

    President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2017 budget before a joint session of the National Assembly on December 14, 2016.

    However, the 2017 Appropriation Bill presented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Mustapha Dawaki and passed by the lawmaker, was N143 billion higher than what was presented to the National Assembly by President Buhari.

    The Green Chamber suspended the business of the day and dissolved into the committee of supply for the consideration and passage of budget with its 12 attached clauses.

    There was only one complaint as the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, took members through a clause-by-clause consideration of the bill.

    Members also protested the N84.7 billion Recurrent and Capital budget of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

     

  • N/Assembly jerks up 2017 budget with N143bn

    N/Assembly jerks up 2017 budget with N143bn

    The two chambers of the National Assembly have jerked up the 2017 national budget with N143 billion above the N7. 29 trillion estimate submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari in December 2016.

    An already harmonised version of the budget is expected to be passed on Thursday, having been laid before the Senate and the House of Representatives at plenary on Tuesday.

    Appropriation committee in the two chambers had jointly worked on the budget estimates and had concurred on the final figures. This has addressed the need for a conference committee of the two chambers for purposes of harmonisation.

    Chairman of the Appropriation committee of the Senate, Senator Danjuma Goje, who laid the budget document at plenary, disclosed that the two chambers had concluded work on the budget.

    Details of the contents of the budget estimate were not made available.

     

  • 2017 budget is ready, says Faleke

    2017 budget is ready, says Faleke

    All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and a member of the House of Representatives, James Faleke, said yesterday that the 2017 budget was ready and would soon be passed by the National Assembly.
    Faleke told reporters at the APC national secretariat that the various committees in the House have completed their work on the budget and submitted their report, adding that the delay in the passage of the budget was because the National Assembly wants to do a thorough work on the document.
    He said: “The budget process takes some time. Unlike what we had before, where you talk about budget padding or no padding, what the National Assembly tried to do this time is to do the needful once and for all with the budget details being submitted. The budget is ready, only to be considered on the floor probably this week, as all committees have finished their work.
    “It is not about delay but doing things right. If we hurriedly do it and get things wrong, Nigerians will condemn us. It is about doing things right
    “It is true that the party will be two years old by May 29 and I can tell you sincerely that the country has moved forward  from what we used to have. Don’t forget that during the last regime, things had almost collapsed and an economy that has collapsed is not easy to reform overnight and I think that what the President has done in the last two years is to have taken time to reform the economy, which is now yielding fruits.
    “I think if the price of crude oil had not dropped, maybe things would have been better off by now. In terms of security, we have done a lot, in terms of reorganising our income, especially as regards what the Federal Government gets in terms of revenue, I’m sure you will agree that we have done a lot.
    “In terms of blocking loopholes and fighting corruption, you know that we have done a lot. You cannot imagine how much has been recovered from individuals. If that system had continued till now, this country would have collapsed and I want to give kudos to the President for having done that.
    “There are still areas for improvement. Nigerians should just be patient and see the last two years of this government.”
    Faleke, however, refused to speak on the crisis rocking the party in Kogi State.

  • Expectations for the week

    Expectations for the week

    Many Nigerians who slept early yesterday evening must just be finding the news of the departure of President Buhari shocking this morning. The Nigerian President has gone on medical leave and has handed over power to the Vice – President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. After a few weeks of not appearing in public, many Nigerians felt concern for their President’s health, his absence at Federal Executive Council meetings further fueled suspicions that all was not well with him.

    Last Friday, he appeared in mosque for the Jumaat prayers but he still wasn’t looking too good. Now that he’s gone abroad for further treatment, people are glad that the President will get the best medical attention and the country will still be in capable hands.

    Nigerians are hopeful that the country will experience positive changes under Acting President Yemi Osinbajo just like the last time President Buhari went on medical leave in London.

    Yesterday, 82 Chibok girls abducted by Boko haram were swapped by the Federal Government for some commanders of the sect. This cheering news has brought smiles to the faces of many Nigerians who have been concerned about the whereabout of the girls.

    Just before his departure for London, President Buhari addressed the girls in Aso Rock. Of course, there has been many questions asked which includes – Why did the Nigerian government have to negotiate with a terrorist organization? Why did it take so long before these girls were released? When will the remaining girls be released?

    Anyway, we cannot but give kudos to the Federal Government for rescuing these girls. Their friends and family members must be highly delighted to have them back; hopefully, the other captured girls will be brought back safe and sound.

    The National Assembly has proclaimed that the 2017 budget will be ready this week; in fact, it will be ready by Tuesday, 9th May 2017. Members of the Senate have assured Nigerians that the budget will be ready tomorrow. Already, the budget is behind schedule and should have been in operation by now. However, it remains to be seen if the budget will be passed tomorrow as promised or not.

    Last week, many Nigerians received with delight the news by Musician cum actor, Bankole Wellignton and actress, Adesua Etomi that they were going to get married. Both celebrities took to their Instagram accounts to announce their love story to the world, they both gave a history of their story and this received pleasant goodwill messages from fellow celebrities and many Nigerians.

    Last Saturday, Bankole and Adesua had their introduction ceremony and many celebrity friends of the couple were in attendance. From this corner, we are wishing them a happy married life and we are praying they keep the status despite the many challenges that may be faced.

     

  • Submission of 2017 budget report suffers setback in Senate

    Submission of 2017 budget report suffers setback in Senate

    …2016 budget to run till end of June, says Ekweremadu

     

    The Senate Thursday deferred the presentation and consideration of the 2017 budget report.

    The presentation and subsequent consideration of the budget report would have paved the way to the passage of the budget submitted to the National Assembly on December 14th, 2016.

    Although the submission of the report was listed as the first business of the day in yesterday’s Order Paper, it was stepped down.

    The inability of the Senate Appropriation committee to conclude work on the fiscal document was cited as the reason for stepping it down.

    Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, told his colleagues that members of the Appropriation committee of the Senate and House of Representatives were working assiduously to resolve grey areas in the money bill.

    Senator Lawan further informed that the budget report is now expected to be laid on May 9th, 2017.

    The Senate leader did not say whether the budget will be passed on Tuesday.

    Lawan said: “The committee chairman on Appropriations is not here. His counterpart who chairs the Finance committee is not here either. I am aware that members of Senate Appropriation committee are currently meeting with their counterparts in the House of Representatives, trying to settle the differences.

    “‎I have also equally been informed that by the grace of God, the budget of 2017 will be laid on Tuesday. Having said this, I will move that we stand down this report till Tuesday.‎”

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the day’s legislative business, said that there was no need to apprehension over the passage of the budget.

    Ekeremadu noted that the 2016 budget could still run till end of June, within which the 2017 budget would be passed.

    Ekweremadu said, “Let me also emphasise for the benefit of the public that we were ready 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 we will like to see the House and the Senate laying just the same documents so that once we pass, we will now send the documents to the President for assent.

    “I think this is important that the point be made and the public know that the harmonization which is going on should be concluded over the weekend to enable us receive the budget report by Tuesday and by the grace of God, have it passed by next week and we will send it to the President for assent.

    “Let me also inform the public as well that the tenure of the 2016 budget ends today the 5th because it was signed into law on the 6th of May 2016, but under the constitution, the Federal Government is entitled to continue to spend money based on the 2016 estimates up to the 30th of June, 2017.

    “But 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 next week. We will pass it so that implementation will start in earnest. So I just want to appeal for the understanding of the people of Nigeria.”

    President Muhammadu Buhari signed the 2016 budget into law on the 6th of May, 2016.

    The lifespan of the 2016 budget expires today, Friday, 5th May, 2017.

    There was apprehension of a possible shutdown if the budget is not passed and assented to today.

  • Senate to receive report of 2017 budget Tuesday

    Senate to receive report of 2017 budget Tuesday

    The Senate on Thursday postponed the laying of the report of the 2017 budget.

    The Laying of budget report which was earlier listed in the order paper for Thursday has been postponed to Tuesday May 9.

    Details later…

  • 2017 budget may be ready for Buhari’s assent next week – Senate Leader

    2017 budget may be ready for Buhari’s assent next week – Senate Leader

    The Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, on Thursday said the National Assembly would ensure that the 2017 budget is ready for President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent next week.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Lawan said the Senate had intended to pass the budget in March but that was not possible due to issues beyond the lawmakers’ control.

    He said Nigerians should not worry about the budget despite the police raid on the residence of Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje, even though it was reported that part of the documents carted away included the budget papers.

    Lawan said, “The good news is that we are doing everything possible to ensure that we catch up the lost time, I am thinking that by next week by the grace of God we should be able to finish our own work and pass the budget to Mr. President to sign.

    “There is nothing to worry about, the National Assembly had intended to pass the budget in March but due to some of the parameters that we had little or no control over we couldn’t pass it in March.

    “It was our desire and design to pass it this month but somehow something happened and all of you here know what happened. The house of one of our colleagues, the chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje, was raided by the police after a whistle blower gave information and when some documents were taken, part of the budget papers was also included.”

     

  • BREAKING: 2017 budget documents, items missing – Goje

    BREAKING: 2017 budget documents, items missing – Goje

    Senator Danjuma Goje on Wednesday told the Senate that the 2017 budget documents, including 18 files, laptop and others have been declared missing.

    According to him, the documents and items were stolen by the police.

    Details later…

  • 2017 Budget: Why NASS Leadership met with Presidency – Spokesman

    2017 Budget: Why NASS Leadership met with Presidency – Spokesman

    The leadership of the National Assembly met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo during the Easter recess to streamline some areas in the budget, it was learnt Monday.

    Abdulrazak Namdas, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs who made the revelation said the purpose of the parley was to put both Legislature and Executive on the same page concerning the 2017 budget.

    Recall that just before the Easter recess, Namdas while briefing reporters on the weekly activities of the Green Chamber said there is no way the 2017 budget can be ready before the resumption of members from the Easter break.

    The lawmaker while speaking yesterday noted that since the National Assembly and the presidency have agreed on key aspects of the Budget, it will aid in the speedy passage of the budget.

    His words: “The topmost priority will be the passage of the budget. We want to ensure that within a few weeks, the budget will be passed.

    “I can tell you that during the Easter break, the leadership of the National Assembly met with the Executive over the budget so that budget will be streamlined in a manner that it tallies with priority areas of the Federal Government and I can tell you that if this budget is passed, there will no little or no issues with the Executive implementing it”.

    He said important legislations which both chambers have to harmonize are the amendment of the Electoral Act 2010 as passed by  Senate on Thursday, March 30 where in the Senate version passed include the use of electronic voting in future elections and electronically transmission of results to collation centers.

    He said: “Any bill that is passed by the Senate must be given concurrence by the House and vice-versa. But you also have to understand that concurrence by either House of the National Assembly is not automatic, neither is the rule that the bill be passed the exact manner it was sent to either house.

    “But what is important is that we will work hard to pass bills that will enhance good governance on time,” he stated.

    Namdas also said that the House has been serious with carrying its constitutional responsibility of investigations, adding that in spite of the dissolution of ad hoc committees by the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, inquiries into issues by the House would not be truncated. According to him such probes would also be done in a “timely manner,” he said.

    His words: “Yes, the Speaker dissolved ad hoc committees but my understanding is that next action on investigations undertaken by these committees will either be taken over by standing committees or be reassigned as decided by the leadership of the House.”

    However, expectations that the National Assembly, which embarked on a two- week break on 11th April will resume today to continue deliberation on the 2017 budget has thinned because of the death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke.

    Many had been looking forward to the resumption of the National Assembly as the parliament has said that the 2017 budget would be passed after resumption from the Easter break.

    The Nation learnt that sitting will be adjourned to Wednesday to honour the late Senator by both chambers Tuesday.

  • Dickson signs 2017 appropriation bill into law

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has signed the 2017 appropriation bill of N243.2b and the Educational Development Trust Fund (EDTF) Amendment bill into law.

    A Government House statement issued on Monday said Dickson while assenting to the bills noted that the budget tagged: “Budget of Repositioning For Consolidation” was designed to complete various on-going projects in the state.

    Dickson said the government appropriated N111billion for capital projects and called on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure strict implementation of the budget.

    He asked the ministries to fast-track the processes of awarding contracts, adding that his administration was committed to completing most of the projects and programmes this year.

    Dickson, however, said that recurrent expenditures such as salaries, pensions, gratuities and overhead would gulp the remaining balance of the budget.

    He commended workers in the state for their understanding and patience, saying the government was working out modalities on the payment of the backlog of salary arrears owed workers.