Budget amendment: Reps yet to fix debate date
MAY 6, 2013
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
Details of President Goodluck Jonathan’s proposed amendments to the 2013 budget have reached the House of Representatives.
However, it is unclear if lawmakers will list the proposals for debate this week.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, announced last Thursday that copies of the amendments were already in the House.
Ihedioha asked his colleagues to send their aides to pick copies for them.
Debate on the amendment proposals had stalled at a session presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, on April 25, owing to the non-availability of the details.
The session had blamed the development on the Budget Office of the Federation, which it accused of failing to forward the details of the proposals to the House.
On Thursday, Ihedioha said the Budget Office had complied with the directive of the House to provide the details.
But, findings on Sunday showed that the House might still not debate the proposals this week.
“It is not likely that they will debate the proposals on Tuesday (tomorrow), the first sitting day of the week. We may be looking towards Thursday or even next week.
“If you recall, the Deputy Speaker only made the announcement on Thursday (last week), which means that members will take their time to study their copies first.
“They need a few days to look at the details before they may entertain any debate,” a House source told our correspondent on Sunday.
However, the Chairman, House Committee on Rules/Business, Mr. Albert Sam-Sokwa, said he was unaware that the House had received the budget details.
His committee has the responsibility of preparing the business of the House for deliberation by members. Such matters include bills, motions and reports.
“I am in Taraba; I am just hearing from you that the budget details have been brought to the House. I cannot comment,” he told our correspondent on the telephone.
Similarly, the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Victor Ogene, said members had yet to receive the copies of the details.
“I do not know what particular areas of the budget to be amended apart from what was read on the floor.
“So, we must have the details first,” he added.
The National Assembly had passed a budget of N4.987tn on December 20, 2012.
The President signed the budget on February 27.
But, in March, he sent amendment proposals to the lawmakers.
Jonathan contested certain provisions in the budget such as the slash in personnel cost by over N100bn.
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