The Federal government has reiterated its commitment to submit the 2018 budget to the National Assembly in October.
Speaking at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja, Sen. Ita Enang, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Senate), said the government is working diligently to ensure that the deadline is met as this will facilitate a swift passage by the National Assembly.
“The ministers are already appearing before the ministry and defending their submissions.
“It is intended that in the next few days they would have completed the exercise and have the total of the budget as well as get ready with the final draft.
“Everything is being done to ensure that we keep to the date,’’. Enang said
Enang further disclosed that “the intention of the government is to make sure that the implementation date and assent will be for January 1, 2018 so that we will return the budget to the conventional January.’’
Enang expressed confidence that the national assembly will do its bit to ensure that the budget is passed in time after presentation by the Executive.
“This was a negotiated position between the executive and the legislature and in fact, the legislature is more anxious to get the budget passed by December and assented to in January.
“It is what was discussed and agreed and we are working together; there is harmony and there is understanding and unison on this subject.
“There is no matter that will frustrate this because all things were taken into account at arriving at this decision,’’ he said.
