The Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, has assured Nigerians that the National Assembly will pass the 2020 budget before Christmas of 2019.
The disclosure was made on Friday, August 16, when the Senate president spoke to newsmen shortly after visiting Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina state, Vanguard reports.
Grassroots gathers that Lawan said the budget is being expected to be submitted in September to the National Assembly by the executive arm. The Senate president said the National Assembly hope to deliberate and pass the 2020 budget within two months.
He also assured that the ninth assembly would passed the Petroleum Industry Bill for the oil and gas sector to be given the desired reform. Lawan noted that the education, agriculture and other sub sectors of the economy require rapid reformation, adding that the National Assembly will work towards achieving that.
Senator Lawan has said henceforth the National Assembly (NASS) would ensure the passage of the nation’s appropriation bill within three months of its submission by the executive arm of government.
Lawan made this known when he fielded questions from State House correspondents after joining President Muhammadu Buhari to perform the weekly Friday’s Juma’at prayer at the Aso Rock Mosque, Abuja.
He, however, expressed the hope that the executive would always ensure early submission of the budget to enable the assembly deliberate and pass it in good time.
“Well, this is a crucial thing that worries everyone, every Nigerian wants to see the National Assembly passes the budget in good time and what we have in mind we’ve campaigned with that and it’s something both of us in the National Assembly have bought into – that we’ll pass the budget within three months by the grace of God.
“But I want to say here that it takes two sides of government to pass the budget in good time. “I am sure that the executive side of the government would like to present the budget before the National Assembly in good time – in September or early October.”