TheCable

Udoma Udoma, minister of budget and national planning, says the 2018 budget will be ready in January 2018 instead of the October 2017 he earlier announced.

Udoma, represented by Aso Vakporoye, deputy director, economic growth in the ministry, spoke in Abuja on Wednesday during the public presentation and capacity building on 2017 agriculture budget.

“For 2018, the federal government part of it has been concluded with the hope that it will be submitted to the national assembly in January,” he said.

“Government is putting more effort to address the issue of dry season farming because when the budget is passed on time, it will enable it to provide funds for farmers promptly.”

Udoma said with the effort of relevant stakeholders, the issue of late passage of budget would be addressed.

The minister had said that the budget, which is estimated at N7.9 trillion, will be submitted to the national assembly by early October 2017 to give lawmakers time to consider the fiscal document and pass it on time.