Budget: You’ve 48hrs to submit reports, N/Assembly panels told

The Joint National Assembly Committee on Appropriations has given a 48-hour deadline to all sub-committees to submit their reports on the 2024 budget.

The co-chairman of the committee, Senator Solomon Olamilekan, said this was to enable the National Assembly to pass the N27.5 trillion budget before the end of this month.

Speaking after some sub-committees submitted their reports yesterday, Olamilekan urged the panels to keep to the deadline.

He said, “I am appealing to all my colleagues to please, I am ready and the deadline is Wednesday this week to receive all reports.

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“By Wednesday, any agency or any committee that has not submitted their report before the committee, it is assumed that you are giving us the omnibus power to go ahead and treat your budget independently of that committee.

“So, we are appealing to all chairmen of various committees to please submit their reports on or before Wednesday this week.”

From the sub-committee reports submitted on Monday, two issues caught the attention of lawmakers, one of the fate of 136 Nigerians trapped in Ethiopian prisons, and the second is the N5billion proposed in the budget to revamp the Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River State.

While submitting his report, Umeh said some of the 136 Nigerians serving various jail terms had sought to be transferred to Nigeria to serve out their punishment.

However, he told the committee that the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), which is responsible for handling their matter, is handicapped due to poor funding.

Responding, Olamilekan promised that the committee on appropriations would review the report and find a way to shore up the budget of NIDCOM, “considering the very important work they have been doing.”