As the House of Representatives suspends plenary this week to undertake a thorough audit of the implementation of the 2012 budget, EDEGBE ODEMWINGIE reports on the import of the budget impasse.
In July, Nigeria’s minister of finance and coordinating minister for the economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, claimed that the executive arm has implemented 56 per cent of the 2012 budget, a figure the House of Representatives disputed stating that only 34 per cent has been implemented according to facts confirmed by the minister.
The development triggered a Lower House probe to determine the actual level of implementation. It will be recalled the federal lawmakers led by the House Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against President Goodluck Jonathan if the 2012 Appropriation Act is not implemented 100 per cent by September.
So last week’s rejection by the Lower House of Jonathan’s proposal to present the 2013 budget to a joint session of both arms of the National Assembly on October 4, reawakened the spat that has trailed the contentious 2012 budget.
In two parts, the Lower House hinged its rejection on its yet to be concluded probe into implementation of the 2012 budget and the yet to be adopted 2013-2015 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy (MTEFF) paper forwarded by the president.
The Lower House suspended this week’s plenary to enable its 90 standing committee’s undertake a status inquest into capital projects carried out by government Ministries, Departments and Agencies vis-a-vis monies appropriated on the 2012 budget.
Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Abdulmumin Jibrin (Kano/PDP) whose committee is detailed to scrutinise the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy (MTEFF) paper, told lawmakers that even though preliminary examination of the document has commenced, it will be impossible for it to conclude its scrutiny before October 4.
He said at plenary, “Knowing the implication and importance of the document to the presentation of the budget by Mr President, it is practically impossible to engage all the relevant government agencies involved with the document.
“We have to invite agencies like the Ministry of Finance, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and several others”.
Jibrin applied that the Lower House gives the committee more time to finish its assignment.
“The Committee will require additional time to conduct its investigation and knowing the implication of asking for an extension of time, the budget presentation by Mr President would be affected”, he said.
The House Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal asked the Committee to continue its scrutiny of the MTEFF paper insisting that it is a crucial prerequisite for the presentation of the budget by the president.
“The acceptance of the budget proposal is dependent on the assuage of the MTEFF and it is a condition prescribed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act. The Committee should go ahead with its work but I will liaise with the Senate on the matter”, Tambuwal said.
Meanwhile, the Lower House made clarifications that the rejection of the 2013 budget was not aimed at “muscle flexing” act on the executive.
House spokesman, Zakari Mohammed told newsmen at a briefing after the resolution that, “These are issues of law, it is not about the House trying to flex muscles. Maybe later, a letter for a convenient day would be fixed for Mr. President to come and present the budget.
“October 4 is just not realistic, we are going on the oversight and be back on October 9.
“Already, we have the inventory of all projects and we are ready to go. We made it known the very week we resumed but had to push it by a week just to be better informed.
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Nigeria/Saudi Spat
Friday, Tambuwal met close doors with members of the presidential delegation set up over the deportation of female Nigerian pilgrims detained and eventually deported by Saudi Arabia authorities.
President Goodluck Jonathan on last Wednesday named Tambuwal as leader of the delegation.
The meeting which lasted till late evening had in attendance, Tambuwal, Emir of Zuru, HRH Alhaji Sani Sami, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, who represented the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Professor Shehu Galadanchi, Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Muhammed Bello, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon Nnenna Ukeje and Hon Bashir Adamu Kazaure.
Addressing newsmen on the sidelines of the meeting, Tambuwal’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, said the meeting was convened by the speaker to “appraise” the situation and come up with strategies in resolving the impasse.
On Thursday, the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Khalid Abdrabuh in a meeting with Tambuwal promised that the issue will be resolved Friday, the Speaker’s spokesman insisted yesterday that the agreement stands.
The female Muslim pilgrims were held at a Saudi Arabian airport for travelling without male relatives — a curious new rule which affected female pilgrims aged 40 and below. Saudi authorities held the Nigerian women between Thursday and Monday at King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah.
A statement issued by Tambuwal’s spokesman stated that the Committee reviewed the correspondence, discussions and actions taken by the Nigerian government and the Saudi authorities in the last three days.
The statement read, “The Committee wishes to state that whatever further action the Saudi government wishes to take must respect the dignity of the female pilgrims as enshrined in international conventions which the two countries are signatories to.
According to the statement, the presidential delegation will undertake a trip to Saudi Arabia as soon as it receives a go ahead from the Saudi authorities with a view to finding a lasting solution to the impasse.
“The committee wishes to assure pilgrims and Nigerians that the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is on top of the situation”.
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