Budget
By Cecilia Ologunagba
Abuja, March 25, 2018 (NAN) An economist, Dr Aminu Usman has called on the Federal Government and National Assembly to work together to ensure speedy passage of the 2018 budget proposal and subsequent ones.
Usman, the Head of Economics Department, Kaduna State University, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
He said the delay in Federal Government budgets approval by the National Assembly would continue to have negative effect on the performance of the economy.
The don said it would have negative effect on the performance of the economy, especially as it relates to much desired speedy recovery from recession.
According to him, it will also affect projects execution, considering the lengthy procurement process for the Federal Government projects.
The N8.612tn budget has been held up at the National Assembly since Nov. 7, 2017, when President Muhammadu Buhari presented the estimates to a joint session of the Senate and the House.
However, the National Assembly and the Executive have engaged each other in a blame game in the past over the delay in passing the budget.
The heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) said they had furnished the legislature with all the documents on the budget.
But the lawmakers said that to pass the budget, ministers and heads of the agencies must appear before the relevant committees to defend their proposals.
Usman, however, said the blame for the delay should not be laid on the National Assembly alone.
“The Executive is also to blame for its inability to forge a harmonious working relationship with NASS.
“APC as a party in power should cshare part of the blame.
“The party should carry part of the blame because of its inability to get the leadership of NASS and executive arm to work together toward fulfilling their electoral promises.
“It should be the responsibility of the party to make sure NASS and the Executive work together, especially now that we are in an election and campaigns year,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the Senate and the House of Representatives have taken a decision to pass the 2018 budget on April 24.
Ahead of the date, the joint Committees on Appropriations will lay report on the budget in the two chambers on April 19. (NAN)
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Editing by Ese E. Ekama