House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, has assured president Bola Tinubu of its commitment to speedy passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill when brought before it.
The lawmakers also vowed to exercise their oversight jurisdiction over relevant government agencies in its monitoring of the budget implementation.
The chairman of the committee, Abubakar Bichi, stated this at the inaugural meeting of the committee yesterday.
He said the House will ensure the sustenance of the long-established precedent of ensuring compliance with the Financial Year Act through budget passage on or before 31 December of each financial year.
The appropriations panel chairman said, this development will make the budget implementation from January to December operational and achievable.
He assured that the panel will monitor implementation by all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), saying the Committee’s work is not just about budget appropriation.
Bichi said the committee stands as one of the most prominent committees that champions the course of law making through appropriations of funds.
The lawmaker observed that the panel will facilitate strategic meeting with the chairmen of Finance, National Planning and Aids, Loans and Debt Management Committees.
He said the move was to gather data that will facilitate effective function of the committee in ensuring inclusive budget preparation, appreciable implementation and effective oversight.
Umahi
3 Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi has dismissed a trending video of a distressed woman linking him with nine-years-old debt over supply of election promotion materials. He said it’s propaganda by desperados who have vowed to stop at nothing in pulling him down for his uncompromising stand.
BPSR Initiative
2Director-general of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Mr. Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi, has said the Nigerian public service is gradually being repositioned through the intervention of the Bureau. BPSR has taken the steps to strengthen good governance.
UN Agencies
1 A former deputy special representative of the United Nations (UN) secretary-general for Somalia, Babafemi Badejo has faulted the minister of women affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye for issuing a one- month ultimatum and threatening legal action against the world body to publish donor funds collected for Nigeria.
Badejo questioned if an international organisation like the UN can be dealt with in such a cavalier manner.