President Muhammadu Buhari has directed Agencies, Corporations and Government owned companies to submit details of their 2018 budget estimates to the appropriate committees of the National Assembly not later than Friday 23rd March, 2018.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Gida Mustapha conveyed the directives in a circular dated 19 March 2018 to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies with Ref. No. SGF/OP/1/S.3/XII.
The circular titled “Submission of Details of the 2018 Budget Estimates by Federal Government owned Agencies, Parastatals and Corporations to the National Assembly” also directed that the agencies comply with the provisions of the law and honour invitation to defend their estimates as scheduled.
The memo reds in parts, “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.
“Accordingly, Mr. President has directed: That Agencies, Corporations and Government owned Companies in the schedule to the FRA 2007 should comply with the provisions of the law; 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, 23rd March, 2018.”
He also directed supervising ministers to ensure timely compliance with the directive.
Daily Trust reports that the 2018 budget estimates submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2017 to the lawmakers has been enmeshed in controversies five months after.
While the lawmakers have said the budget was being delayed because some MDAs were yet to appear before relevant national assembly committees to defend their proposals, the executive has retorted that the lawmakers were to blame for the impasse.
The SGF memo is largely seen as backtrack by the executive and admittance of its guilt in the delay passage of the budget.
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