Expectations as Buhari lays 2019 Budget today

…NASS passes resolution, set to receive President in joint session …’Workers’ strike won’t disrupt budget presentation by President’ Expectations are high as President Muhammadu Buhari will today lay before a joint sitting of both chambers of the National Assembly a budget estimate of N8.7 trillion proposed for the 2019 fiscal year. The laying of the 2019 budget at a joint sitting of the National Assembly today by President Buhari is irrespective of the ongoing four day strike action embarked upon by the National Assembly workers. The Senate on Tuesday at a very brief plenary resolved to host President Buhari alongside lawmakers in the lower legislative chamber. The House of Representatives also on Tuesday passed a resolution to allow President Buhari to address the joint sitting of the National Assembly by 10am today (Wednesday) for the presentation of the 2019 appropriation bill. Motion for the approval of the presidential request was moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan (APC Yobe North) and seconded by the Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP Bayelsa Central). The motion got overwhelmingly approved by the entire house when put to voice vote presided by Senate President, Bukola Saraki. President Buhari had on Thursday last week in separate letters addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, requested the federal lawmakers to grant him the hours of 11am today (Wednesday), December 19, 2018 for 2019 budget presentation. The resolution by the House of Representatives to allow President Buhari to address the joint sitting of the National Assembly by 10am today (Wednesday) for the presentation of the 2019 appropriation bill followed the unanimous adoption of the motion moved by the House Leader, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila at plenary held in the wake of the strike embarked upon by National Assembly staff. Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yussuff Lasun presided over Tuesday’s sitting attended by just 45 lawmakers as against the 120 needed to form a quorum. According to the constitution, the House must form a quorum – which is one-third of the 360 members – before plenary can hold according to Section 54(3) of the constitution. The House sat amidst a partial shutdown of the National Assembly by protesting staff. The staff, who were prevented entry into the chambers, are protesting their withheld entitlements, including consolidated salary increments and allowances said to be owed them since 2010. As at when plenary eventually came to an end, only 45 lawmakers were in attendance at the plenary, still far less than the required number to form the required quorum. Meanwhile, the ongoing strike action of members of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) over non-payment of 28% increment on their salaries since 2010, has been described as inconsequential to today’s Budget presentation to be made by President Muhammadu Buhari. Addressing journalists after the session, the majority leader in the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and Hon Yusuf Tajudeen from Kogi State said PASAN strike cannot in any way disrupt plenary at both chambers let alone, joint session for 2019 budget presentation. The House Leader in particular said no strike action can disrupt the workings of the National Assembly. He said: “The federal lawmakers are not employers of PASAN, the same way PASAN are not employees of the Federal lawmakers, so the question of their strike action affecting our plenary sitting is not there. “Though penultimate Tuesday when they first carried out the protest, we granted them the honour of hearing from them by not sitting that day. That does not mean that they have the right to shut down the chamber. “The Legislative Privileges Act is even against anybody or group of persons carrying out any action to disrupt legislative sessions, by making provision for six months imprisonment for such an offence which I know every member of PASAN is aware of. “PASAN members may continue with their strike action but as far as we are concerned as federal lawmakers, their action will not stop us from sitting and hosting the President tomorrow (today)”, he said. Hon Yusuf Tajudeen in his own reaction to PASAN strike action, said it was wrong for the parliamentary workers to continue with the strike action despite intervention made by the leadership of the National Assembly in getting their demands met by the management of the federal parliament. “The money they are requesting for is already captured in the 2018 budget but yet to be cash backed the same way, many of the budgetary provisions appropriated for the federal lawmakers in the 2018 budget are yet to cash backed”, he said. Tunde Opalana & Henry Omunu, Abuja