President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday, said the Chamber under him will ensure Nigeria’s budget is treated expeditiously.
Lawan said this on Tuesday as the Senate adjourned for a two-month recess which was initially delayed to allow for the confirmation of the 43 nominees of the President for ministerial appointments.
“The budget 2020 is going to be part of what we want to do differently from the previous sessions of the Senate,” the National Assembly chairman said.
Lawan disclosed that the expectation of the lawmakers is that the 2020 appropriation bill will be presented to the National Assembly on their return from the recess in September.
“Once that is done, it is our intention in the Senate and in the entire National Assembly that we devote a month of, possibly, October for budget defence only”, he stressed.
“In a situation that we are able to achieve that, no more budget defence after October.
“Any ministry or agent of government that fails to appear to defend its budget, the National Assembly will take an appropriate action.
“We want to have November and a week or two in December to process and pass the budget and send it to Mr President to sign in December before Christmas.
“We believe that if we are able to do that, our budget will go back to that regular cycle, that desirable cycle of January to December and that will enhance the budget performance of this country.
“Nigerians are desirous of going to the next level and we can only go to that next level when we are able to work together to make Nigerians and Nigeria better in terms of service delivery,” Lawan added.
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