The Senate on Tuesday stated its intention to only consider the 2013 budget amendment in October when it returns from its two-month break that begins today.
According to Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who was speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the Senate will only consider the proposed amendment after its annual eight-week vacation, which starts on August 2 and ends on September 30.
If the 2013 amendment budget is not considered by the end of September, the implication is that the National Assembly will be attending to two separate budgets, as President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to send the 2014 Appropriation Bill in September.
On other matters, the Senate criticised Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mrs. Nogozi Okonjo-Iweala, for saying the country’s economy would shut down in September if the National Assembly did not consider and approve the 2013 budget amendment.
He frowned at the comments on behalf of the colleagues, stating that a minister or any other presidential appointee is not expected to make comments which that portray a lack of mutual working relationship between the Executive and the Legislature.
“Let me say that we were very perplexed when we read comments allegedly made by the minister of finance and coordinating minister for the economy with respect to the budget. First of all, the Senate does not view the comments made kindly,” Abaribe said.
“The feeling of the Senate and indeed the National Assembly is that we do not expect ministers of the Federal Republic and appointees of Mr. President to make comments that tend to give the impression of a collision course between the Executive and the Legislature because we are all working towards the same purpose and our purpose is to make sure that we take care of the welfare of Nigerians.”
