Senate Shuns Saraki’s Order, Fails To Pass 2017 Budget Till Further Notice

Contrary to its promise that it would pass the 2017 Budget on or before the end of March, the Senate, on Tuesday, again, failed to pass the Appropriation Bill, before embarking on a two-weeks Easter break. Recall, that Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had in January, promised that the budget which was submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari before a joint session of the National Assembly, on the 15th of December, 2016, would be passed early, in order to enable Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, commence early implementation. However, it was gathered that about eight Committees were yet to submit their reports to Sen. Danjuma Goje-led Appropriations Committee, despite an ultimatum issued by Saraki to that effect. The 2016 Appropriation Act was signed into law on the 6th of May, 2016, by President Buhari. The lifespan of the budget is expected to expire on the 5th of May, 2017. As at the time the Senate will resume from its Easter break on April 25, the 2016 budget will be 10 days away from its expiration date.‎ It is unclear whether or not the National Assembly will pass the 2017 budget before the expiration of the current document. Meanwhile, Saraki has urged heads of the various standing Committees to reach out to the Appropriation Committee Chairman, Senator Goje, to resolve grey areas of their various budget reports, before it commences its final work on the budget. Saraki, who spoke shortly before the Senate embarked on the break, said the Red Chamber was running against time to pass the 2017 budget, as earlier promised.