Entreaties by President Goodluck Jonathan to present the 2013 budget to the National Assembly next week has once again been rebuffed by the House of Representatives.
The President wrote both arms of the National Assembly of his intention to bring the 2013 Appropriation Bill before a joint session, but the Aminu Tambuwal-led House was said to have turned down the move.
The President had on September 25 informed the House through a letter to the Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, that he would present the 2013 budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly on October 4.
But the House said it wont receive a new budget from President Jonathan until the 2012 budget was adequately implemented.
The leadership of both chambers had agreed to defer the receipt of the bill until they were through with their oversight of ministries.
However, the House had insisted that it would tie the passage of the 2013 budget to the implementation of the 2012 budget, which means that it would not consider the budget of the coming year if not satisfied with the performance of the current one.
Addressing the matter at a weekly press briefing, the spokesman of the House and Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, said the House needed to go to the field to confirm the reports of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, on this year’s budget implementation to ensure a tally between the information given by ministries and the actual amount implemented.
Mohammed said the House is performing its constitutional function and not “flexing muscles”.
But the House said it wont receive a new budget from President Jonathan until the 2012 budget was adequately implemented.
The leadership of both chambers had agreed to defer the receipt of the bill until they were through with their oversight of ministries.
However, the House had insisted that it would tie the passage of the 2013 budget to the implementation of the 2012 budget, which means that it would not consider the budget of the coming year if not satisfied with the performance of the current one.
Addressing the matter at a weekly press briefing, the spokesman of the House and Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, said the House needed to go to the field to confirm the reports of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, on this year’s budget implementation to ensure a tally between the information given by ministries and the actual amount implemented.
Mohammed said the House is performing its constitutional function and not “flexing muscles”.
