The National Assembly has concluded plans to extend the life span for the 2017 Budget till May 31 instead of March 31 as stipulated in the appropriation law passed by the lawmakers.
The Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Appropriation, led by Senator Danjuma Goje, gave the hint at the 2018 National Budget hearing.
Speaking on behalf of the joint committees, Hon. Mustapha Dawaki stated that contractors should continue to work on site because the 2017 Budget will not be closed until the 2018 Budget is passed by the National Assembly.
According to Dawaki: “Contractors should continue working, budget account will not be closed until budget is passed and accepted by the President or until the 31st of May, 2018.
“We are told that the Office of the Accountant General is expected to close the account as at March ending .
“We have written a letter yesterday drawing his attention to the fact that the budget should be extended to May 31st, but if the passage of the budget as at April 24 is done and gets the President’s assent, whichever comes earlier, then the Accountant General should also strictly adhere to the contents of the letter.”
It could be recalled that the Senate and the House of Representatives had taken a decision to pass the 2018 budget on April 24.
Ahead of the date, the joint Committees on Appropriations will lay the report on the budget in the two chambers on April 19.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, disclosed this in Abuja during Wednesday’s plenary.
Dogara said: “The consideration and passage of the budget will be on April 24.
“The committees will submit their report on April 19.
“This will be a harmonised report.”
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