Heads of key agencies of government have shunned the House of Representatives Committee considering the 2019, 2020 and 2021 Medium Term Expenditure Framework.
The angry committee members warned that the agency heads risk stalling the passage of the twenty nineteen Budget should they continue to ignore its invitations.
National Assembly Correspondent Joke Adisa reports that the MTEF is a statement presented by the Executive to the parliament under Section 3 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2003.
It sets forth a 3 year rolling target for the expenditure indicators specifying underlying assumptions and risks involved.
By law, the MTEF and the Fiscal Strategy Paper should form the basis for the annual budget.
President Muhamamdu Buhari in November, 2018, sent the 3 year work plan to the National Assembly and laid the 2019 Appropriation Bill in December..
The committee chairman at this maiden meeting, calls for a roll call of its guests as he opens proceedings. Sadly none of the key actors are present
Banangida Ibrahim who also chairs the Finance Committee said there is no need working on the documents when those whose jobs are directly linked
with them are not present
Heads of MDAs expected include the Minister of Finance, her Budget and National Planning counterpart, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, the
heads of Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, the Department of Petroleum
Resources and the Budget Office of the Federation.
The lawmakers rose in annoyance, promising to give a new date for all affected Heads of MDAs to appear before the committee.
The House of Representatives is looking to pass the 2019 Appropriation Bill in record time but worries that non appearance of key figures before its
relevant committees may be a hinderance to achieving just that.
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