While briefing reporters at the National Assembly on Thursday, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, Abdulrasak Namdas said that barring all unforeseen circumstances, the 2018 Appropriation bill will be passed into law next week.
He said: “By the Grace of God, we will lay the budget on Tuesday and then try to pass it that same week.
“But we’re laying it on Tuesday and I can assure you that within that same week, we’re going to pass it.
“We tried to do that, but you know, the budget is a voluminous document.. Actually, we’ve been working hard so that we can beat the deadline, and hopefully this time around, I can assure you that by next week, everything about the budget will be concluded and passed..”
Namdas, while responding to a question on the proposed three- day suspension of legislative activities to protest the killings across the country, said it will take effect after the passage of the Appropriation bill and follow no definite pattern.
If you recall, there had been conflicting dates given by the House on when Nigerians should expect the passage of the Appropriation Bill.
While the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara had earlier announced that the budget would be ready by late April , the Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Mustapha Dawaki said the budget would be ready in May.
After President Muhammadu Buhari presented the N8.612 trillion budget for 2018 to National Assembly early November last year, there had been hope for an early passage this time.
But from all indications the appropriation bill which the President called ” a budget of consolidation ” is going to follow the late passage pattern of previous money bills.