Facts emerged on Wednesday that no fewer than 13 Ministers are yet to defend the 2018 Budget proposal of their ministries before the various Senate Standing Committees, The Eagle Online has been told.
This was disclosed on Wednesday, a day after President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, ordered all heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies to defend their budgets before the end of this week.
The Ministers that are yet to conclude their budget defence include the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola; Minister of Mines Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Mansur Dan-Ali; Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; and Minister of Land Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi.
Others are Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Darling; Minister of Water Resources, Adamu Kazaure; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah; Minster of National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma; and Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.
Also agencies that are yet to conclude their budget defence include the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent National Electoral Commission; Nigerian Postal Service; and Tertiary Education Fund.
Speaking with newsmen about the passage of the budget after the closed door meeting with the leadership of All Progressives Congress, the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, said the issue of the passage of the budget was discussed at the meeting and it has been resolved.
Lawan recalled that President Buhari had given MDAs one week to do so, while the National Assembly gave two weeks ultimatum to those concerned agencies.
Earlier at the plenary session, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, ordered all Senate Standing Committees to submit their budget report between March 23 and 29 to the Senate Committee on Appropriation.
It could be recalled that National Assembly had been at loggerheads with the Presidency over the passage of 2018 Budget proposal, which had been submitted since November 2017 for consideration.