Less than 24 hours after President Muhammadu presented the 2020 appropriation bill to the National Assembly, lawmakers in the Senate and the House of Representatives have opened debate on the budget proposal.
The lawmakers are currently making submissions on the bill with some warning of the consequences of the huge deficit and non-performance of revenue-generating agencies.
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In the upper chamber, Senate Leader Yahaya Abdullahi is asking the upper chamber to enact or amend relevant laws to drive revenue generation while minority leader Enyinnaya Abaribe has strong words about the budget proposal describing it as unsustainable.
He explains that the budget has no focus and appeals to the senate president not to be in a hurry to pass it but to look at the facts on the ground.
But Senate Deputy Whip Abdullahi Aliyu disagrees maintaining that the budget indeed has a focus and that it is hinged on sustaining growth and job creation.
Apart from the budget debate, the Senate also confirmed the appointment of Adeleke Adewolu as an executive commissioner on the governing board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
In the House of Representatives, plenary commenced with representative Chinda Kingsley raising a point of order quoting order 12 rule 8.
He stated that the details of the appropriation bill is not contained in the bill and asks the house to suspend debate until the Minister of Finance submits the details of the house.
Kingsley was however ruled out of order by the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila who explained that the general principles of the bill are to be debated and not the details.
