By Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
Speaker of the House of Representatives has assured that the 2019 budget will passed in timely fashion.
Dogara gave the assurance on the resumption of plenary on Wednesday after the Chrismas and New Year break,.
The Speaker stressed that in a bid to fast track the process, copies of the document has already been distributed to members.
He stated that second reading of the budget will commence immediately after the valedictory service for a late member Abayomi Ayeola and the former President Shehu Shagari .
He said: “I hope copies of the budget have been circulated? If copies of the budget have been circulated, we may have to start the second reading of the budget tomorrow.
“We will set aside some time to pay tribute in form of valedictory session for our brother, Hon. Ayeola and the late president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari”.
The 2019 budget was laid before a joint sitting of the National Assembly on the 19th of December and the House through its Spokesman, Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas had said it would prioritise the passage of the budget on resumption.
However, there was consternation that the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) which ought to have been approved and passed before the budget was not mentioned.
According to the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, the
MTEF/FSP which encompasses parameters like Oil Bench mark, Crude oil production estimates, inflation and GDP and other projections among others, ought to have been approved before the commencement of the budget consideration.
Regardless, the House yesterday adjourned sitting till today as a mark of honour for the late member, Rep. Ayeola, who died during the recess and in honour of former President Aminu Shehu Shagari.
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