JUST IN: Senate to pass 2019 budget April 16

…As Buhari declines assent to National Housing Fund Bill, seven others The Senate has promised to pass the 2019 budget on April 16. This is just as President Muhammadu Buhari declined his assent to the National Housing Fund Bill and seven others recently passed by the National Assembly. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, made the announcement during Tuesday’s plenary. He urged sub-committees of the Committee on Appropriations to submit their reports on Friday. He also told the Committee on Appropriations to submit its report between April 9 and 11. Saraki subsequently adjourned plenary till April 9 to enable the committees involved in the budget defence to complete their assignments. The Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, Senator Sunny Ogbuoji, had informed the senators that less than 10 committees had so far submitted their reports. However, Saraki said the budget would be passed on April 16. The former Kwara State governor said, “Let us agree that they will submit on Friday. We will suspend plenary just for a week. “We should be able to reconvene here on Tuesday and lay the report on April 9, 10 and 11. “We should pass this budget on April 16, because we have the Easter break coming as well.” He said the Appropriations Committee would be empowered to present its report on Friday. Buhari submitted the N8.83tn 2019 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 19, 2018.]]>