The Senate has denied responsibility in delaying President Buhari’s presentation of the 2017 budget to the National Assembly. Raising a point of order at the plenary session on Thursday, 3rd November, 2016, Senator Ali Ndume (APC:Borno) mentioned that The Sun newspaper had quoted the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma as blaming the delay on the National Assembly.
Speaking on the matter, Senator Ali Ndume (APC:Borno) faulted the executive’s failure to attach relevant documents in the forwarded 2017 Medium Term Expenditure Framework & Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF & FSP) as the real reason for the delay since it hindered effective consideration by lawmakers.
The Senate also used the platform to urge the Executive to forward the following documents expeditiously:
- A draft copy of the Medium-Term Development Plan;
- A comprehensive report of the implementation of the 2016 budget as at third quarter;
- All fiscal rates, taxes, charges used to derive projected revenue; and
- A report on the structure and composition of the debt, funding sources, how borrowed funds would be spent as well as a repayment plan and schedule.
The Senate Leader recalled that the Senate had invited the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma to brief it on the MTEF & FSP since October 19, 2016 and requested for the above documents to facilitate holistic consideration of the MTEF & FSP. He added that since its resolution, neither Minister had appeared before the Senate nor provided the documents requested. He also mentioned that a similar request by the executive to borrow $29.960 billion had been rejected by the Senate for failure to attach a borrowing plan. However, he emphasized National Assembly’s willingness to work with the executive.
Contributing to the discussion, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu (PDP:Enugu), noted that the Senate was ready to consider the 2017 budget as soon as it is presented before it. However, he added that the details requested for consideration of the MTEF & FSP could not be bypassed as they are necessary. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki (APC:Kwara) also mentioned that when contacted the Minister of Budget had denied apportioning the blame on Senate.
