NASS begins debate on 2018 budget next week

… as Reps moves to investigate sale of N20bn PHCN non-core assets

The National Assembly is set to begin debates on the N8.612 trillion 2018 Budget presented to it by President Muhammadu Buhari, two weeks ago.

While the Senate has said it would commence debate on the budget on November 28 through 29, the House of Representatives said it would begin its own debate on November 28.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who made this known during the Plenary, said debate said on the budget will now hold by next week.

Recall that President Buhari had, on November 7th, 2017 presented the N8. 612 trn 2018 Budget to the joint session of the National Assembly, in Abuja.

According to Saraki, November 28 and 29 would be devoted to the debate on the 2018 budget, while November 30 would be for the debate on revenue and expenditure budget of FGN on enterprise and agencies.

Also, the Senate, on Wednesday, postponed its scheduled debate on the 2018 budget filed before it by President Muhammadu Buhari, anchoring reason for that on the need to pass the 2018-2020 Medium Term Expenditure Frameworks (MTEF).

He said, “There is need to pass the MTEF, which we hope should be laid on Wednesday and be passed this week,”

He disclosed also that the delay of debate on budget was also to enable sufficient time for submission of budgets by agencies of the government.

Saraki, however urged his colleagues to get hold of all relevant documents on the budget including, “revenue and expenditure of FGN owned enterprise and agencies, the consolidated 2016 implementation report, budget implementation report for first quarter 2017 and second quarter 2017, as well as budget volume one and two.

In another development, President Muhammadu Buhari has withheld accent to the bills seeking to establish the Federal University Wukari, Taraba State and the Chattered Institute for Treasury Management.

Buhari’s conveyed his decision to the Senate in a letter read by the Senate President Bukola Saraki during Tuesday’s plenary.

According to President Buhari, the decision was motivated by the inappropriate use of words and undefined phrases in contained in the two bills.
He hinged his position to decline accent to the bills on section 54(4) of the Constitution.

In a related development, the president also forwarded for consideration three executive bills including bill; for the establishment of federal institute for industrial research, natural medicine development agency and the bill for the repeal and re-enactment Act of Raw Material Research and Development Council.

Meanwhile, the representatives of the Ministry of Finance, Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Budget office and others met with appropriate Committees of the Senate on speedy passage of the 2018-20 MTEF

Also, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yussuf Lasun on Tuesday, announced that the House will commence debate on the general principles of the 2018 Appropriation Bill of N8.612 trillion from November 28.

Lasun, while announcing the date for the commencement of debate on the budget during Plenary, said that the debate would be concluded on November 30.

He added that the conclusion of the budget debate will be followed by the conduct of a public hearing scheduled for December 4.

According to him, “members are to indicate the date they wish to contribute to the debate as there is need for us to participate actively and ensure that the bill is given expeditious attention.”

The Deputy Speaker, however, urged lawmakers to ensure they receive copies of the 2018 budget proposal presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to the joint session of the National Assembly.

According to one of our correspondents, Buhari had said in his address to the joint session of the National Assembly that he would consolidate the achievements recorded through the implementation of previous budgets, assuring that the budget when passed into law, would improve the country’s economy.

In a related development, the House, also on Tuesday, resolved to investigate the alleged fraudulent sale of the non-core assets of the now defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) valued at an estimated N20billion for N1.5bn.

This resolution was sequel to the adoption of the motion sponsored under matters of urgent national importance by Rep. Rita Orji (Lagos/PDP).

Moving the motion, Orji averred that the auctioning of PHCN non-core assets, such as overtime cargoes, scraps and other obsolete items worth about N20billion was carried out by the Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Limited (NELMCO).

She declared that only N1.5 billion was claimed to have been realised from the sales, adding that the exercise was marred by widespread irregularities and fraudulent practices.

The lawmaker accused the management of NELMCO of posting fraudulent and misleading advertisements for the sale of high–value items on selected dailies from anticipated buyers.

“People who heard about the auction and showed interest were purportedly not allowed or given the opportunity to buy the assets after fulfilling all the necessary requirements for the purchases,” Orji stated.

According to her, the bidding process for the auctioning was neither transparent nor forthright, as allegations of fraudulent activities trailed the sale of the assets resulting in disputed outcomes.

She further expressed concern that if the public outcry against the seemingly spurious sales and auctions were left unattended to, it would set a bad precedence for any such transaction in the future.

Orji said that, “the outcry is vociferous, the allegations are weighty and a comprehensive and detailed scrutiny would enable both the alleged offended and offender to be treated judiciously.’’

Supporting the motion, House members described the action of the auctioneer as disheartening, stating that persons charged with protecting public interest turn around to abuse the trust reposed on them because of selfish reasons.

The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to voice vote by the Deputy Speaker.

The House thereafter mandated its Committee on Power and Public Procurement to investigate the alleged fraudulent sale of the assets and report back within one month for further legislative action.

It further directed that the sales of any other asset be stopped pending the outcome of the investigation by the House committees.

Henry Omunu, Olufemi Samuel, Abuja