President Muhammadu Buhari orders ministries, department and agencies of government to comply fully with provisions of the law by submitting the details of their 2018 budget to the National Assembly before March 23

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has moved decisively to end the 2018 budget quagmire by directing agencies, corporations and government owned companies to submit details of their estimates to the appropriate committees of the National Assembly not later than Friday,  March 23.

Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the Federation, conveyed the directives on Monday,  March 19, to all ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs  in a circular letter with Ref. No. SGF/OP/1/S.3/XII, entitled: “Submission of Details of the 2018 Budget Estimates by Federal Government Owned agencies, Parastatals and Corporations to the National Assembly”.

The document which is in possession of Realnews  directed the agencies to comply with the provisions of the law and honour invitation to defend their estimates timeously.

The circular reads: “It has come to the attention of Government that a number of Agencies, Corporations and Government owned Companies have not fully complied with the provisions of Section 21 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007.

“Agencies are reminded that the FRA 2007 provides that consequent upon laying of  summary of  budget estimates of Agencies listed in the schedule to the FRA alongside the National Budget by Mr. President, it is required that details of such  budgets are made available to the National Assembly for consideration and passage.

“This position was reiterated in the attached publication in the Nation Newspaper of Wednesday, February 7, 2018, by the Senior Special Assistant to the President (SSAP) on National Assembly Matters (Senate)

“Accordingly, Mr. President has directed: (i)  That Agencies, Corporations and Government owned Companies in the schedule to the FRA 2007 should comply with the provisions of the law;

“(ii)  All submissions (109 copies to the Senate and 360 copies to the House) should be made available to the appropriate Committees of the National Assembly. Copies should also be made available to the SSAP on National Assembly Matters (Senate and House respectively), not later than Friday, 23^rd March, 2018; and

“(iii)       All Agencies, Corporations and Government Owned Companies should honour invitations to defend their estimates timeously.”

It also urged supervising ministers to ensure timely compliance with the content of the circular.

Realnews reports that President Buhari presented the budget to National Assembly last November. Hopefully, with this new directive, the National Assembly will do their work expeditiously and pass the budget to breath life into the economy.

– Mar. 20, 2018 @ 10:00 GMT |