Senate gives MDAs one-week to defend budget proposals or else…

The Nigerian Senate has given a one-week ultimatum to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), who are yet to appear before relevant Committees to defend their 2022 budget proposals, to do so or risk forfeiting their allocation for the coming year.

The ultimatatum was handed to the MDAs on Tuesday by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, when the upper chamber adjourned its plenary for the day after proceedings.

According to Lawan, the one-week extension given to the MDAs would allow the relevant Committees ample time to conclude work on their budget estimates for scheduled presentation to the Committee on Appropriations.

“A one week deadline is hereby given for all MDAs to defend their budget.

“And, if there are any MDAs not able to do so, they should forget about it because from this week, our Committees would start defending or presenting their budget defense results with the Committee on Appropriations,” Lawan said.

Continuing, he added:

“So, we give more time to our Committees so that they are able to engage with the MDAs.

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“We expect that the Committees will go and continue with those issues that have not been sorted out.

“And let me also say this very clearly, that there are many MDAs that are being awaited by our Committees to present some very vital documents, and this is very necessary for us to conclude work on the budget defense exercise.

“This week, we will close at 1pm, and Thursday would be for our Committees to work throughout till Friday and possibly Saturday, so that by next week, by the Grace of God, the budget defense would be closed, because that would be the only window.”

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