Senate finally lays 2016 budget for passage

The senate on Tuesday finally laid the 2016 budget ahead of its passage, but it adjourned to Wednesday after sitting for only 20 minutes.

The adjournment was as a result of the death Musa Baba, a member of the house of representatives from Nasarawa state, who died on March 17 aged 50.

It is a tradition at the national assembly for both chambers to adjourn sitting in honour of a late member.

Before Ali Ndume, senate leader, moved the motion for adjournment, which was seconded by Philip Aduda, deputy minority senate leader.

Three reports, including the 2016 budget, were presented before the upper legislative chamber.They are the annual report of the auditor-general of the federation, report of the conference committee on the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF), and report of the committee on appropriation on the 2016 appropriation bill.

Danjuma Goje, chairman of the senate committee on appropriations, laid the budget, which means all is now set for its passage.

In January, the senate had promised to pass the budget before the end of February, but it failed to do so. It then fixed March 17 for its passage, but it also did not fulfill this pledge.

On March 16, Abdullahi Sabi, senate spokesman, had said that the budget would be laid the next day, but that did not happen as well.

While speaking with journalists on March 17, Sabi had explained that the delay in the laying of the budget was due to some minor errors that the joint committee on appropriation was working to correct.

He then promised that the budget would passed soon.

The senate committee laid the budget on the floor of the senate on Tuesday, three months after President Muhammadu Buhari presented it to the national assembly.