Reps to pass 2017 budget after Easter

…proceed on recess next Tuesday

The leadership of the House of Representatives on Thursday disclosed that the 2017 budget will be passed on resumption from Easter recess.

Abdulrazak Namdas, chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs gave the assurance during the post-weekly press briefing held at the House of Representatives Media Centre, Abuja.

The lawmaker who declined comment on Federal Government’s delay in the submission of details of the 2017-2019 Borrowing Plan to the House, however insisted that the budget will be passed before the end of April 2017.

“I have been inundated with calls about the position of the budget and I feel I should tell you that we are very seriously interested in this budget and hopefully we will pass this budget when we are back from Easter break. Even the federal government is taking advantage of the non passage of the budget 2017.

“If you are at the plenary today, even the Minister of Budget and National Planning said if they can reconcile the figures they are likely to pass the budget soon. If they approach us, we will always oblige them as the parliament of the people.”

“By the grace of God we are going on break by Tuesday and we also hope to be back before the end of the same month, so we are not extending it to another month.

“The issue has always been people trying to confirm whether we pass the budget before we even go on break; to make make your job easier, I’ve just told you that we may not be able to pass the budget before we proceed on break by Tuesday, but we will certainly ensure we pass the budget and pass it as soon as possible.

“I don’t want to commit myself to a date gentlemen,” he said.

Recall that the Speaker had last week issued a deadline to all the standing committees to submit their reports to the Appropriation Committee for final compilation of the 2017 budget.