Nigerians may have to wait a little longer for the 2016 budget to be signed into law.
This is because the National Assembly says details of the passed 2016 Appropriation Bill won’t be ready until after two weeks.
It also insists there is nothing unusual in its sending the summary of the budget to the Executive for Presidential assent.
By Thursday, March the 31st, the 2015 budget, currently in operation will lapse.
But the Executive seems not to be in a hurry to get the 2016 budget running.
President Muhammadu Buhari had through one of his aides, indicated his resolve to properly scrutinize the document passed by the National Assembly so as to be saved another round of embarrassment.
According to the Presidential aide, Buahri would only append his signature to the budget after carefully considering the National Assembly’s input.
But at a news conference in Abuja, the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation decries the controversies generated by President Buhari’s refusal to sign the budget.
Abdulmumin Jubrin says the National Assembly is in order by sending the summary of the budget to the President for assent.
He says the details as being requested by the Executive will be ready in two weeks
As ministries, departments and agencies of government wind down their respective 2015 budgets, President Buhari is statutorily empowered to vote funds for smooth working of government operations pending the time the budget is finally signed into law.
