The House of Representatives on Wednesday, October 16, asked the federal government to expedite action in presenting the 2025 budget estimate to the National Assembly for consideration and passage
The House said that the delay in presenting the annual estimate to the lawmakers for consideration goes contrary to the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 which require that the budget be presented to the National Assembly for consideration four months before the end of the year.
Leading the debate on the motion, Clement Jimbo (APC, Akwa Ibom) said the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 provides for the prudent management of the nation’s resources, ensures long-term macroeconomic stability of the national economy, and secures greater accountability and transparency in fiscal operations within a medium-term fiscal policy framework.
He averred that section 11(1)(b) stipulates that the federal government must, not later than four months before the commencement of the next financial year, cause to be prepared and laid before the National Assembly an MTEF for the next three financial years.
He said the time the National Assembly requires to exercise its functions as enshrined in section 88(2)(b) is technically being taken away by the non-compliance of section 11(1)(b) of FRA 2007 by Executive through the delay
Contributing to the motion, Billy Osawaru (APC, Edo) said getting the budget from the Executive and considering it within one month will adversely affect the oversight function of the parliament.
He said the House should resist the attempt to dump the budget on the Parliament and compel them to go through it and pass it within one month without necessarily doing justice to the provisions, adding that the parliament must not be dragged into doing its job.
Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) reminded his colleagues that the return to a budget circle of January to December is one ground on which the government prides itself, adding that what a good policy does is to help the government in planning.
He said the present government needs to be vigilant and alive to its responsibility, adding that the motion was a wake-up call.
He alleged that the parliament was compelled to rush through the 2024 budget, adding that this must not be allowed to reoccur in the name of trying to beat the budget circle.
According to him, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework should have been with the House for consideration by now so it can go through it adequately.
On his part, Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers) said the House must have full-time. To examine the budget when presented to it, describing it as the most important bill to be passed by the House.
He suggested that whenever the executive brings the annual budget estimate late, the parliament should reject such a presentation and send it back to the Executive.