TheCable

The federal government has written to national assembly for a fresh review of the 2020 appropriation act.

This was contained in a letter written on Tuesday by Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning.

The national assembly had returned the country to a January-December budget cycle with the 2020 appropriation act, making this year’s budget to expire on December 31, 2020.

Ahmed is asking the house of representatives for an extension of the expiration date of the capital component of 2020 budget.

She explained that extending the expiration date would enable federal government to carry on with the implementation of the capital components of the budget beyond December 31, 2020.

Ahmed also cited difficulties in obtaining certificates of no objection from Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) and the slowdown in implementation of capital projects by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, majority leader of the house of representatives, said if the date was not extended, the federal government would have to mop up all the funds meant for capital projects in 2020 budget and return same to government’s treasury.

Doguwa warned that such would not be in the best interest of Nigerians.

He said the advantage of extending this is that capital projects execution would help boost the economy and speed up recovery from current recession.

In his ruling, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, said the amendment will not be initiated with a motion but a bill.

Gbajabiamila asked Doguwa and chairman of the house committee on rules and business to come up with a bill to amend the 2020 appropriation act and schedule the first, second and third readings for Wednesday, as the national assembly plans to go on recess on Thursday.