Senate to debate final passage of 2017 Budget today

The apprehensions over the fate of the national economy against the backdrop of delay in passage of the 2017 Budget is to end soon, as the Senate is set to debate the budget for final passage today (Thursday).

The harmonised 2017 budget, according to emerging reports, would be passed any moment to douse the growing tension on the state of the economy amid the prolonged delayed passage.

The tension over delayed passage of the budget arose from reports that the grace enjoyed by the executive to continue to draw fund from the 2016 Budget in line with constitutional requirement would exhaust early this month, thus raising the fear that the National economy may grind to a halt.

The Daily Times exclusively gathered Wednesday night that the Appropriation Committee having concluded work on the budget will table it for debate today (Thursday) after bowing to pressure from across Nigeria, thus cutting short excuses being adduced for delay in passage.

The 2017 Budget drew attention from Nigerians last week amid reports that the Senate declared the document missing after the Police raided the residence of the Senate Appropriation Committee Chairman, Senator Danjuma Goje.

Goje had told his colleagues during plenary last week that the officers who raised his Maitama residence carted away monies in different denominations, his laptop and 28 files containing issues on 2017 budget, an indication that this year’s budget may not be passed soon.

Goje’s submission had raised suspicion in different circles that the Senate would be using the issue of budget to armtwist the executive over unresolved political issues.

The Daily Times can report that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had been more disposed to having the budget passed in order to avoid any constitutional crisis that may trail any further delay, according to one of his aides.

A member of the Appropriation Committee in a chat with our correspondent affirmed that the Senate was not in any mood to delay the passage of the budget contrary to speculations.

He said the controversial aspects of the Budget had been ironed out long before now with members of the executive, an indication that the process of passage will no longer entail further delay.