NASS to pass 2020 budget before Christmas break

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said the assembly would ensure the passage of the 2020 Appropriation Bill of N10.33 trillion in December.

Lawan made this known on Wednesday at the two-day Joint National Budget Hearing on the 2020 Appropriation Bill in the National Assembly Complex.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had on October 8 presented the budget proposal before a joint session of the national assembly.

Ahmad stated that the 9th assembly was committed to correcting the anomaly in the budget cycle.

“We have set between the two chambers; and we have resolved that this time around, we must pass this budget before the end of Dec.

“We are hopeful that the budget will be passed before we go on Christmas break by God’s grace.

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“And of course, I am glad to say that President Buhari had shown commitment to what the national assembly desires.

“This was seen when the government issued a statement asking ministers and heads of agencies not to travel without defending their budget; that is a total commitment to what we desire in the national assembly,” Lawan said.

He said that the public hearing on the 2020 appropriation bill was no doubt a special one because it was another important step in a bid to resolve the undesirable budget cycle.

“This cycle has created problems for planning and for the proper implementation of the nation’s macro-economic framework.

“The macroeconomic framework needs to be reasonably predictable the way it happens in other climes.

“It is when the framework is predictable that it can positively influence the micro details in the budget proposal.”

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