The 8th Senate returns to regular business on Tuesday as it continues
work on the 2017 budget and several economic priority bills which are at
different stages of their passage. Its President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola
Saraki will also read the two pending letters from President Muhammadu
Buhari on extension of his holiday in London and the nomination of Justice
Walter Onoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
On February 2nd, the Senate adjourned its normal plenary session schedule
for three weeks to enable members participate in their various committees
for the defence of budget estimates by Ministries, Departments and
Agencies (MDAs). Also within the period, for the first time in the history
of the Nigerian parliament, the House of Representatives and the Senate
held a joint three-day Appropriations Committee public hearing on the 2017
budget.
“By all accounts the public hearing event was an outstanding success” said
the Senate President. “Federal ministers, private sector leaders, civil
society organizations and others all participated in what I like to call
the ‘people’s budget’ process”, Saraki noted.
on hand to defend their budget proposals and answer questions. CSO’s,
academics and professionals associations offered commentary on their views
and critique of the budget.
“It is the intention for the public hearing exercise to
be institutionalized as a yearly exercise to promote
government transparency and greater public participation in the
process” he added.
The Senate President said “it is very important for the executive branch
and the legislature to continue to work together to get the spending plan
right. The months of collaboration will determine the extent to which the
appropriations spending begins to grow the economy and create jobs.”
From tomorrow, various committees are expected to start submitting reports
to the Committee on Appropriations based on schedule earlier provided as a
result of the conclusion of budget defence by MDAs.
This will be followed by compilation of the reports by the Appropriation
committee and engagement with the leadership of the Senate and interface
with some committee where necessary. The last stage of the budget process
will be laying of report at plenary by the Appropriation Committee as well
as the consideration and passage of the Appropriation Bill.
Simultaneously, the Senate will also begin to consider several economic
reform bills that form the basis of the Red Chamber’s priority economic
agenda. This coming week alone may see two such bills, the
Independent Warehouse Regulatory Agency Act and the Company and Allied
Matters Act (CAMA), come up during plenary session.