2023 budget passage: Senate expresses frustration over executive errors, late submission

…Eyes 28th December for passage

…Appropriation Bill may be subjected to hasty processes to meet Jan-Dec cycle

While passage of the 2023 Appropriation Bill is much awaited to meet the January – December budget cycle, the Senate has pointed accusing fingers to the executive for submitting a proposed budget ridden with errors, and submitted at a time considered late.

This, the Upper Chamber, said is responsible for delay in passing the bill, mentioning that the need to have a clean document demands more time to address the controversial areas.

Although, there were speculations the Senate would pass the bill on Thursday, a later development of the activities of the Upper chamber showed the fiscal bill was not yet ready for passage.

However, more indications have shown that the Upper chamber may pass the 2023 Appropriation Bill on the 28th December.

The Senate slammed blame on the Executive Arm of Government for submitting to the National Assembly, a budget proposal ridden ridden with error at a very late date.

The President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, made the lamentation, after an Executive Session held shortly after plenary resumed on Thursday.

Following the closed session which lasted for about 15 minutes, Lawan said that the 2023 Appropriations Bill cannot be passed on Thursday as scheduled because the Appropriations Committee could not complete work on the budget report.

He blamed the Executive arm of government for submitting the budget proposal very late and with errors, mentioning that the process of cleaning the errors contained in the Appropriations Bill was concluded on Wednesday.

He added that the two chambers have to harmonise the copy of the fiscal bill to be able to present the report for passage by both chambers on Wednesday 28th, 2022.

The President of the Senate also assured that the proposed budget implementation will still commence on the 1st of January, 2023.