Budget padding under control – Presidency

The Presidency says unlike in the past, budget padding has now been brought under control.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this at the weekend while presenting a paper on “The Executive/Legislative Relationship: Role of the Media” at a forum organised by the House of Representatives Press Corps.

Shehu asked: “Are we saying what happened before in the 8th Assembly was better for this country where it took seven months before the budget was passed?

“In the past, there was budget padding. But now that has been brought under control. So, the legislature is not a rubber stamp”.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari would be committed to the implementation of 2020 budget and the restructuring of the country through the National Assembly.

He said Buhari had always believed in restructuring and was interested in the nation’s restructuring.

“The parliament is a very important component of democracy and it represents the sovereignty of the people. And that is why we tell those who clamour for restructuring that you cannot do it outside of the parliament,” he said.

He said Buhari was committed to signing the budget and returning the budget circle to January to December.