Presidency denies accusing NASS of frustrating budget presentation

The Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters-Senate, Senator Ita Enang, has said that that there was no truth in the report in some newspapers that the Presidency has accused the National Assembly (NASS) of frustrating the presentation of the 2017 to NASS.

Rather, Senator Enang, in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, November 28, stated that the National Assembly as an institution, its presiding officers, the leadership and members were all working together to ensure the consideration of measures laid before the legislature by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We have read a newspaper story insinuating that the National Assembly is frustrating the presentation of the 2017 budget to the National Assembly and crediting the information to a source anonymous.

“May we state that to our knowledge, and contrary to the insinuation the National Assembly as an institution, the presiding officers, the leadership, Distinguished Senators and Honourable members are all working together to ensure the consideration of measures laid before the legislature by Mr President, including the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper.
This measure was considered by the Senate on Wednesday November 23, and committed to the Senate committees on Finance and National Planning for consideration and report to plenary,” the statement read in part.

According to the Senior Special Adviser, the executive team, led by the Honourable Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, was working closely with these committees and the Distinguished Senators.

He, therefore, appealed that any enquiry on any matter relating to the budget be made to the appropriate Minister or to the Presidency liaison office at the National Assembly or the Federal Secretariat office, Abuja saying, “again, we restate the commitment that the 2017 budget preparation and laying (on a date to be communicated by His Excellency, Mr President to the National Assembly in accordance with the extant practice) shall be in accordance with best practices and usual Executive – Legislative warm relationship.”