Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, representing Abia North Senatorial District, said Wednesday that the National Assembly would forward the detailed copy of the 2016 budget it passed, to the President within two weeks. His statement rests the assumption that the 2016 budget issue will be laid to rest by the end of this April.
The delay and the refusal to pass the budget, many economy watchers say is heavily padded, has already taken difficult toll on Nigerians and Nigeria, with much of its middle income group severely wiped out.
Ohuabunwa said in Abuja that the legislature would do everything possible to send details of the budget as soon as possible in view of the sufferings of Nigerians.
“What we send normally is the sectoral allocations, it has been like that, it takes about two, three weeks thereafter to put down the details.
“The details actually go to the ministries and the agencies for their own implementation. But like I said every system has its own way, maybe this is the way the President wants to go, he wants to see the detail.
“It is not a law, it is just a convention kind of, but if this is his own line; definitely we will go along with him. We are not fouling or going against any law.
“The only unfortunate thing is that as we are here waiting for the detail, Nigerians are suffering.
“Knowing that Nigerians are really waiting for this budget and because it has been laid they will not understand what we are going through.
“All they are after is that the budget is with the National Assembly and if you don’t get it passed, people will say, National Assembly, where is our budget.
“Against all odds we tried everything within our reach and our powers to ensure we have passed the budget.
“I believe in the next two weeks, maximum, we will send the details to the President; it is left for him to do the needful.’’
