Assembly frowns at Al-Makura’s three-year budget

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly Committee on Information, Security and Special Duties on Wednesday frowned at the budget for three years sent to the Assembly for approval by Governor Tanko Al-Makura.
The committee made its position known during the budget defence of the state Ministry of Information and Re-orientation in Lafia, the state capital.
Hon. Mohammed Baba-Ibaku, the committee Chairman, said that the House could only consider and approve a year’s budget as stated in the constitution in the interest of peace and development of the state and the country at large.
Baba-Ibaku said: “How can the governor send a three-year budget starting from 2014 fiscal year to 2016 to the Assembly for consideration and approval.
“Even a layman is aware that the budget starts from 1st January and ends 31st December of every fiscal year.
“We wonder why the budget presented to the House by the present administration was for three years under the 2014 appropriation bill.
“The law only empowers the House to approve one-year budget for the executive to implement people’s oriented projects and programmes that have direct bearing on the lives of its citizens.
“It is fortunate that we discovered this three years budget proposal sent to the Assembly for approval.
“If not, when it is passed in to law, it means the governor has the power to implement the budget for three years.
“We will not accept this three year’s budget proposal because the pattern of this budget is wrong and the law on ground did not empower us to do so as well as in the interest of peace, progress and development of the state and the country at large.”
Baba-Ibaku also advised the commissioner and his team to ensure strict implementation of budget and to avoid extra budgetary expenditure.
Hon. Francis Orugo, a member of the committee, also said that the House would only approve people’s oriented projects in the 2014 budget provision.
Earlier, Alhaji Hamza Elayo, the state Commissioner for Information and Ethical Re-orientation, said that the three years budget was just a mere projection on government plan.
Elayo said: “The three years budget, 2014 to 2016, sent to the House was a mere projection, a roll plan.
“It is in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act in order to meet up with international standard but government will only implement the 2014 budget for this year while 2015 and 2016 are projection.”
Elayo pleaded with the committee to table the ministry’s complaint to the House, to reverse its decision to lift the ban on the state-owned media, Nasarawa Broadcasting Service, to cover its activities live during proceedings.
The General Manager of the NBS, Alhaji Yusuf Musa, and other directors of the ministry attended the session.
The Assembly had on August 26, 2013 banned the state-owned media from covering its activities.