2014 Budget will be a priority as Senate resumes on Tuesday – Senator

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business Senator Ita Enang (PDP-Akwa Ibom), has said that the Senate would treat the 2014 Appropriation Bill as a matter of priority on resumption.
Speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Abuja, Enang said this was to enable the country have a budget to work with.
He said: “We will give priority to the 2014 Appropriation Bill when we resume.
“This is urgent because as at today, the 2013 Appropriation Bill has effectively, conclusively and irreversibly lapsed.
“As a result, there is no budget to be implemented in the country since we did not, within the life time of that budget, amend it to extend its life span beyond December 31, 2013.
“That being so, it becomes very urgent that we should consider and pass the 2014 Appropriation Bill so that the machinery of government can run well.”
The life span of the 2012 budget was extended to March 2013 but that of 2013 was not extended.
Enang also said that the issue of the constitution amendment would be in the forefront to enable the Senate dispense with it and face other issues.
He added: “We will also give priority to concluding the amendment to the 1999 Constitution, which the Senate started and passed a different version with the House of Representatives.
“We have to meet and harmonise so that we will have one document to send to the Houses of Assembly so as to start having returns.”
According to Enang, the Senate will also treat the issue of the electoral act with urgency in order to quickly amend the necessary sections that will affect the 2015 elections.
He added that the amendment was to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to prepare properly.
He said: “Another issue that will be of priority is the electoral act because there are several proposed amendments, so we will give priority to that for INEC’s preparation for the 2015 elections.
“Some of these amendments touch on issues of nominations in political parties, which are expected this year.”
The lawmaker also gave the assurance that the Senate would conclude work on the Petroleum Industry Bill to ensure that it is passed before the heat of the elections.
According to him, 2014 is a year of a lot of politicking, adding that the Senate will be committed to considering sensitive bills, on time, to allow legislators devote time to their parties.
Enang said: “This year, we will be very serious about timing and consideration of sensitive bills.
“This is because in the course of the year, there will be a lot of politicking.
“Since legislators are all products of political parties, it will be good to allow legislators share time between lawmaking and their political parties.”
The Rules and Business committee chairman added that 2014 was a peculiar year, adding that the Senate would treat it with all the seriousness it deserved.