Finance Minister to present 2014 budget to NASS on Thursday

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, would present the 2014 Budget to the joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday.
This followed Senate’s approval and passage of the oil benchmark of $77.5 per barrel for the Medium Term Expenditure Framework for use in the 2014 budget.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, made this known while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.
The briefing came on heels of a closed session with security chiefs.
Abaribe said the laying of the budget before the National Assembly was in line with the provision of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
He said: “The Senate has met and approved and passed the benchmark of $77.5 per barrel for the MTEF programme.
“This will translate into the benchmark that will be used for the 2014 budget.
“The President has also informed both chambers of National Assembly that the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance will lay the 2014 budget.
“We will receive her on Thursday for laying the budget.”
The Senate spokesman said the upper chamber had very fruitful and frank discussions with the service chiefs and heads of other security organisations.
He said the meeting discussed the performance of the emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States and national security.
According to him, the Senate will review the security report and make its position known at a future date.
Abaribe said: “The Senate met in closed session for over five hours with the service chiefs and heads of security agencies in Nigeria with respect to the state of emergency in the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.
“The discussion with security chiefs was very fruitful, very open and the Senate received a lot of reports.
“They answered questions bordering on insecurity, insurgency in the North Eastern part of Nigeria and other topical security issues.
“Now that we have received this report from the service chiefs, the Senate will subsequently review the report and come out with its position.”
The Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim; the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Bade, attended the briefing.
Others included the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba; the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abuabakar; the Director-General, State Security Service, Ita Ekpenyong; and the Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki.