National Assembly To Pass 2016 Budget March 17

A date has now been fixed by the National Assembly for the passage of the 2016 budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari in December 2015.

The controversial fiscal document, which the lawmakers painstakingly scrutinized, and several errors discovered, would now been passed on March 17, 2016.

This was disclosed in Abuja on Wednesday by the National Assembly Joint Committees on Appropriation.

Chairmen of both the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje and Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin, made this known to journalists.

Goje stated that the sub-committees of the two chambers have met with the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies under their purviews and have submitted their reports.

According to him, the final report would be submitted shortly to meet up with the March 17 passage date.

Buhari had in December 2015 presented a budget of N6.08 trillion to the National Assembly for passage.

Last week in Saudi Arabia, the President described the “padded” budget as embarrassing, saying those behind it would be severely dealt with.