From Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
THE House of yesterday submitted the details of the N6.06 trillion 2016 budget to the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Salisu Maikasuwa for onward transmission to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin came to the office of the CNA at 4.54pm with the 1,800-page document.
Jibrin had admitted on Wednesday March 30, seven days after the National Assembly passed the 2016 Appropriations Bill, that the National Assembly was yet to transmit the details of the budget to the Executive. He also announced that the details would be sent to the president in two weeks.
“Yes, I have just submitted the details of the 2016 Appropriations Bill to the Clerk of the National Assembly for onward transmission to the Executive Arm of government,” Jibrin said immediately he came out of the office of the CNA.
When asked if the budget would be promptly taken to President Buhari yesterday, Jibrin disclosed that he had already alerted Special Advisers to the President on the National Assembly that the budget details was ready for onward transmission.
“The procedure is that Special Advisers to the President on National Assembly Matters would come over to pick copies of the budget. I have spoken to Senator Ita Enang, I have also called the Hon. Kawu Ismaila and they are aware that the budget details are ready,” he stated.
President Buhari had said he would not sign the budget until he scruitinsed its details and was convinced it tallies with the version sent to the National Assembly.
After handing over the document to the Clerk yesterday, Jibrin expressed confidence that the National Assembly had presented a budget that was in tandem with the economic policies of the Buhari administration.
Though he said that it was customary for the National Assembly to tinker with Appropriations Bill, the lawmaker reasoned that Nigerians are more concerned with the National Assembly presenting an implementable budget, rather than the controversy of lawmakers making inputs.
“Of course, you know we have worked on the details and when I was coming in, I tried to answer some question whether there were inputs from us? Of course, there were inputs of lawmakers on the details. Just like any other year, you always have a situation where you are faced with what the executive arm of government wants or what the lawmakers want.
“But the duty of the Appropriation Committee is to find a middle ground between both. But I think the budget we just signed off with my colleagues in the Senate to the best of our knowledge is an implementable budget and to a large extend we believe that it properly aligns with the policy trust of the federal government,” he said.
He justified the time spent on preparing the details of the budget.