Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan has told Nigerians that the 2017 budget would be smoothly and promptly passed, just as he said that the leadership will meet today with chairmen of committees on the way forward for the budget.
Speaking with journalists yesterday, Senator Lawan, said that after the meeting which would ensure a seamless budget process, committees would then commence with budget defence, adding that the meeting with committee chairs would pave the way for the committees to do their job which is aimed at passing the budget as soon as possible.
Senator Lawan, who noted that it was obvious that Nigerians were waiting anxiously for the 2017 budget to be passed, said: “The leadership will meet tomorrow (today) with committee chairmen on the way forward for the budget. ”After the meeting, committees will begin the budget defence. We don’t envisage any issue.
Everybody has learned his lesson. We are all working for the smooth passage of the budget.” Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had on Thursday last week announced that the Senate leadership would meet with committee chairmen after plenary, but the meeting was shifted to today.
It is expected that the meeting would lay the template for the budget defence with ministries, departments and agencies. The meeting will also draw the time table for the budget defence.
It is expected that the Senate will use the period of its break to conclude the budget defence to pave way for the passage of the fiscal proposal its resumption on February 21.
(Vanguard)
