Senate shifts passing of 2019 budget till Tuesday

Nigerian senate has postponed the passage of the 2019 budget till Tuesday, TOPNAIJA.NG reports.

Senate President Bukola Saraki announced the postponement at plenary on Wednesday, directing Nelson Ayewoh, clerk of the upper legislative chamber, to make copies of the budget report available to the lawmakers by Monday.

Saraki’s directive came on the heels of the absence of Danjuma Goje, chairman of the senate committee on appropriations, and Sunday Ogbuoji, his vice, at plenary on Wednesday.

It is not clear why Goje and Ogbuoji were absent despite the fact that the budget report was listed for consideration on the order paper.

“I have directed the clerk to make details of the budget available to everyone latest by Monday so that we will have the copy of the report when it is passed the next day,” the senate president said.

The report was laid on Wednesday last week prior to the Easter break.

Ogbuoji had lamented the slow pace in which other standing committees submitted their reports to appropriations committee.

Saraki had initially said the budget would be passed by April 16.