The House of Representatives has urged the executive arm of government to send the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to the National Assembly, allowing lawmakers ample time to work on the 2025 Appropriation Bill once it is submitted.
Drawn across party affiliations, the lawmakers expressed displeasure at the practice of delayed presentations of annual budget proposals to parliament, leaving them with little time to do a good job.
Rep. Clement Jimbo, the member representing the Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency in Akwa Ibom State, moved a motion of urgent public importance, which led to the House’s resolution.
While rallying support for the motion on the need to urge the executive to comply with Section 11(I) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, Jimbo stated that the law provides for the prudent management of the nation’s resources and ensures the long-term macro-economic stability of the national economy.
According to the lawmaker, Section 11(1)(b) mandates that “The Federal Government must prepare and lay before the National Assembly an MTEF for the next three financial years, not later than four months before the commencement of the next financial year.”
The lawmaker stated that Section 11(1)(b) stipulates that “The Federal Government must, not later than four months before the commencement of the next financial year, cause to be prepared and laid before the National Assembly an MTEF for the next three financial years.”
He expressed worry that Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Section 30(1) of FRA 2007, specifically, Section 88(1), stipulate that subject to other provisions of the 1999 Constitution, “Each House of the National Assembly shall have the power, by passing resolutions, to direct, or cause to be directed, an investigation into any matter or thing to which it has power to make laws, and into the conduct of affairs of any person, authority, ministry of government department charged or intended to be charged with the duty of or responsibility for executing of administrating laws enacted by the National Assembly and for disbursing or administrating monies appropriated or to be appropriated by the National Assembly.”
In his contribution, Rep. Billy Osawaru (APC, Edo State) said the timely late arrival of annual budget proposals “is one of the ways Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of Government shortchange Nigerians.
He said: “If it takes four months to go through budget estimates, it should be four months.”
Also contributing, Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, supported the motion, noting that unless budget estimates arrive at the parliament on time, it would be difficult for legislators to scrutinise it in the interest of Nigerians.
He said: “This government prides itself on the adherence to the January-December budget cycle. It is a good development.
“In the 2023 budget, we were practically rushed into completing work on the estimates just to meet up with the January-December cycle. This must not happen again. By now, the MTEF should have been with us.”
On his part, the member representing Abua/Ahoada East Federal Constituency, Rivers State, Rep. Bob Solomon, commended the mover of the motion and urged his colleagues to support it.
He said, “We must have the time to support the 2025 budget in detail. The Appropriation Bill is the most important. Henceforth, if they send to us the Appropriation Bill without adequate time, let us not consider it.”
Following the adoption of the motion, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the plenary session, urged the executive arm of government to comply with Section 11(1)(b) and submit to the National Assembly 2025 Budget proposal without further delays.
The House mandated the Committees on National Planning and Economic Development, Appropriation, and Finance to ensure compliance with the Medium Term Expenditure Framework within a two-week deadline.
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