…Faults oil
benchmark, zero allocation to SEC
•Lawmakers meet
today over impasse
benchmark, zero allocation to SEC
•Lawmakers meet
today over impasse
From Iheanacho
Nwosu, Abuja President Goodluck Jonathan has told the leadership of the
National Assembly that he will not sign the 2013 budget, Daily Sun learnt
yesterday, even as the leadership of the Senate, that of House of
Representatives and officials of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of
Government (MDAs) will meet at 2pm today to reconcile faulty and bogus
allocations in the budget. The meeting will hold at the Senate complex. The
N4.987 trillion budget was passed by both chambers of the federal legislature
on December 19, 2012. It was transmitted to the President for assent on January
14, this year.
Nwosu, Abuja President Goodluck Jonathan has told the leadership of the
National Assembly that he will not sign the 2013 budget, Daily Sun learnt
yesterday, even as the leadership of the Senate, that of House of
Representatives and officials of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of
Government (MDAs) will meet at 2pm today to reconcile faulty and bogus
allocations in the budget. The meeting will hold at the Senate complex. The
N4.987 trillion budget was passed by both chambers of the federal legislature
on December 19, 2012. It was transmitted to the President for assent on January
14, this year.
However, despite
the early passage , President Jonathan has declined to sign the Appropriation .
Confirming that there are issues with the budget, Minority Leader, House of
Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamilla, said the President has picked a hole
in the bill as passed by the National Assembly. He said the President has
communicated to the leadership of the National Assembly on some grey areas causing
his delay in signing it. A member of the House, who does not want his name
mentioned, said that the President rejected the bill and returned it to the
National Assembly because of the pegging of oil benchmark at $79 by the
legislature. The executive had proposed $75, but that was rejected by the
lawmakers.
He said the
President was not happy over the zero allocation given to the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) in the budget by the National Assembly. The latter
had hinged the zero allocation to SEC on the continued stay in office of the
Director-General, Ms. Arunma Oteh . The House had passed a resolution asking
the President to sack her, but the recommendation is yet to be implemented.
Another grey area, according to the lawmaker, is the N63 billion added to the
original budget proposed by Jonathan. The Presidency equally rejected some
aspects of the capital project vote particularly the National Assembly
Constituency project. In view of the alleged poor-implementation of the capital
projects in the 2012 budget, the National Assembly had rolled over the
non-implemented aspects of the capital projects, especially the constituency
projects into 2013.
President was not happy over the zero allocation given to the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) in the budget by the National Assembly. The latter
had hinged the zero allocation to SEC on the continued stay in office of the
Director-General, Ms. Arunma Oteh . The House had passed a resolution asking
the President to sack her, but the recommendation is yet to be implemented.
Another grey area, according to the lawmaker, is the N63 billion added to the
original budget proposed by Jonathan. The Presidency equally rejected some
aspects of the capital project vote particularly the National Assembly
Constituency project. In view of the alleged poor-implementation of the capital
projects in the 2012 budget, the National Assembly had rolled over the
non-implemented aspects of the capital projects, especially the constituency
projects into 2013.
The move was
turned down by the President who described it as illegal. The National Assembly
had approved N4,987,220,425,601 as the 2013 budget. It comprised
N387,976,000,000 for statutory transfer; N591,764,000,000 to service debts
N2,386,024,770,349 for recurrent (non-debt)expenditure while the balance of
N1,621,455,655,252 is for contribution to the development fund for capital
expenditure. The figure passed by the two chambers was N63 billion more than
N4.924 trillion original proposal presented to the joint session of the federal
legislature by the President last October. On how the leadership of the
National Assembly is taking the refusal to sign the budget bill, the lawmaker
said the issues being raised by the President are being handled by the two
chambers. He said:”This budget wahala ‘problem’ has come again.
turned down by the President who described it as illegal. The National Assembly
had approved N4,987,220,425,601 as the 2013 budget. It comprised
N387,976,000,000 for statutory transfer; N591,764,000,000 to service debts
N2,386,024,770,349 for recurrent (non-debt)expenditure while the balance of
N1,621,455,655,252 is for contribution to the development fund for capital
expenditure. The figure passed by the two chambers was N63 billion more than
N4.924 trillion original proposal presented to the joint session of the federal
legislature by the President last October. On how the leadership of the
National Assembly is taking the refusal to sign the budget bill, the lawmaker
said the issues being raised by the President are being handled by the two
chambers. He said:”This budget wahala ‘problem’ has come again.
The President has
returned the 2013 budget that we passed before we went for Christmas break.
Although the thing is yet to be made known officially to members, those who
have seen it said SEC and benchmark issues were among the grey areas. Chairman
of the House Committee on Appropriation, John Enoh, dismissed speculation that
the budget has been rejected, saying the bill is still valid. He said: “All I
know is that the budget cannot be returned through the window” The principal
officers of the House held a marathon meeting on the matter yesterday. The
House leadership met today to find a solution to the problem but we are yet to
agree on the right step to take”, he said.
returned the 2013 budget that we passed before we went for Christmas break.
Although the thing is yet to be made known officially to members, those who
have seen it said SEC and benchmark issues were among the grey areas. Chairman
of the House Committee on Appropriation, John Enoh, dismissed speculation that
the budget has been rejected, saying the bill is still valid. He said: “All I
know is that the budget cannot be returned through the window” The principal
officers of the House held a marathon meeting on the matter yesterday. The
House leadership met today to find a solution to the problem but we are yet to
agree on the right step to take”, he said.
Source: Sun
