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Triumph!!! We Are Working Very Hard To Give You The Best Budget Ever – Saraki

Sen. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, has said that the National Assembly was still determined to pass the budget next week, and would not be deterred by criticisms. This came as the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, warned that the delay could harm the economy, adding that, it had portrayed Nigeria as not serious with its economic recovery plan. Remember, that the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, had said that the 2017 budget would be passed this week. Nevertheless, at Thursday’s plenary, he moved a motion that the presentation of the budget report be stepped down. He said the members of the Senate Committee on Appropriation were working with their House of Representatives counterparts, to harmonise the budget report. Senator Ike Ekweremadu, The Deputy Senate President, who presided over the plenary, said that there was no cause to worry. Saraki who spoke through the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, in his reaction said: “They are entitled to their opinions. It is a democracy. Whatever they want to say, they are entitled to it. But for us, we are doing what we need to do, and we are not going to be deterred by any comments. We are doing what we need to do, and we will definitely get the budget out when it should be out. “I have already given you the indication that by next week, we should be concluding on the budget. And we are working very hard on it. But if anybody has a contrary view, they are entitled to their opinion.’’ An official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as he was not officially permitted to speak on the matter, added: “The 2016 budget was submitted to the National Assembly in December of that same year, and despite the issues of budget padding and all that, the budget was passed by both Chambers in March and signed into law on May 6, last year. “For the 2017 budget, we did all our best to send it to the parliament on time, and that was done in December, last year. “So, one wonders why despite the fact that this year’s budget didn’t have issues like that of last year; yet, it has not been passed. The fault is not from us. Nigerians should know those delaying the budget, and ask them questions.”

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