We’ll give priority to passage of 2017 budget, says senate

Sabi Abdullahi, senate spokesman, says the upper chamber of the national assembly will place priority on the passage of the 2017 appropriation bill when it resumes from its three weeks recess.

Abdullahi told NAN in an interview on Monday that the senate would live up to its constitutional responsibility in turning out an implementable budget.

He said the senate would speed up consideration of the budget in order to pass it in good time.

Abdullahi said the upper chamber would also speed up activities with regards to making laws that would entrench sustainable democracy in the country.

“The senate will continue where it stopped in terms of the speed of work, the focus, and there will be increased intensity in terms of output,” Abdullahi said.

He said the senate would avoid anything that would create controversy and derail speedy consideration of the budget.

“At this period last year, we were already submerged in controversy with regard to the 2016 budget but as you can see there is no controversy this time around.”

On December 14, President Muhammadu Buhari presented a budget of N7.3 trillion to the national assembly for approval.