The budget impasse between the Federal Government and the National Assembly deepened yesterday as lawmakers said they would not be stampeded into approving changes to the appropriation law as proposed by President Jonathan.
Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had said on Monday that unless the budget amendments were approved, the government may not be able to pay workers’ salaries by October.
But the Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday criticised the minister, with the House saying she was simply blackmailing lawmakers and inciting workers against the parliament. Okonjo-Iweala had said the proposed budget amendments sought to address cuts of personnel costs of some ministries in the substantive budget document signed by the president earlier in the year.
In its reaction, the House yesterday passed a resolution asking the minister to appear before a committee to defend an allegation that she was inciting civil servants against the National Assembly.
This decision followed the adoption of a motion of “urgent national importance” raised by minority whip Samson Osagie (ACN Edo).
Osagie said the minister’s comment was in bad taste, and that her “assertion is intended not only to blackmail the National Assembly in the performance of its constitutional mandate but also to incite Nigerian workers against a legitimate and the not militant institution of government--National Assembly.”
He said there was a subsisting and valid Appropriation Act duly signed into law by the president, which is the operating budget for 2013.
“From available field reports, the executive organ of government is deliberately delaying or exercising undue tardiness in the implementation of the 2013 budget,” he added.
The motion was unanimously adopted when Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha who presided over the plenary session called for a vote.
The minister is expected to appear before a joint House committee on appropriation, finance and legislative compliance, but no specific date was mentioned.
Also yesterday, Senate spokesman Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe called a news conference in Abuja, where he said “the Senate does not view the (minister’s) comments made lightly.”
He said, “The National Assembly was perplexed when we heard today about comments allegedly made by Minister of Finance and the coordinating minister of the economy with respect to the budget.”
“The feeling of the Senate and of course the National Assembly has always been that we do not expect ministers of the Federal Republic and appointees of the President to make comments that tend to give the impression of a collision course between the executive and legislature, because we are all working towards the same purpose; and which is to make sure that we take care of the welfare of Nigeria,” he added.
Abaribe said the budget amendment bill sent by President Jonathan was too bulky to be considered in a hurry.
“We found that these documents are even larger than the budget itself and there’s no way that the Senate and even the National Assembly can consider these amendments until we come back from our vacation this year. And by the way... there’s absolutely no way amendments of this nature would be considered for the short time that we have until we go on our national vacation,” he said.
“Coming to now bring up a whole list of amendments that are even much more than the original that was sent, I do not expect the presidency would say we shouldn’t have enough time to go through it.
“We know that in September as the president has promised, there’s going to be a new budget. So, when you bring a budget of this volume and then you bring another budget in September, what do you expect us to do?”
Meanwhile, President Jonathan yesterday re-submitted the budget amendment bill to the Senate, days after sending similar proposals to the House of Representatives.
In a letter addressed to Senate President David Mark, dated June 26, Jonathan said: “You will recall that the personnel cost was cut across all MDAs which will make it difficult to meet government’s obligations to its workers. I therefore seek your kind understanding for the restoration of the said cuts in order to maintain industrial harmony.”
Jonathan asked for the restoration of cuts made to capital votes of ministries of Works, Health, Power, Transport, Education and the Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme, which he said will have adverse effect of severely undermining “our capacity to create jobs needed for our teaming unemployed youths, women and physically challenged citizens.”
But the Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday criticised the minister, with the House saying she was simply blackmailing lawmakers and inciting workers against the parliament. Okonjo-Iweala had said the proposed budget amendments sought to address cuts of personnel costs of some ministries in the substantive budget document signed by the president earlier in the year.
In its reaction, the House yesterday passed a resolution asking the minister to appear before a committee to defend an allegation that she was inciting civil servants against the National Assembly.
This decision followed the adoption of a motion of “urgent national importance” raised by minority whip Samson Osagie (ACN Edo).
Osagie said the minister’s comment was in bad taste, and that her “assertion is intended not only to blackmail the National Assembly in the performance of its constitutional mandate but also to incite Nigerian workers against a legitimate and the not militant institution of government--National Assembly.”
He said there was a subsisting and valid Appropriation Act duly signed into law by the president, which is the operating budget for 2013.
“From available field reports, the executive organ of government is deliberately delaying or exercising undue tardiness in the implementation of the 2013 budget,” he added.
The motion was unanimously adopted when Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha who presided over the plenary session called for a vote.
The minister is expected to appear before a joint House committee on appropriation, finance and legislative compliance, but no specific date was mentioned.
Also yesterday, Senate spokesman Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe called a news conference in Abuja, where he said “the Senate does not view the (minister’s) comments made lightly.”
He said, “The National Assembly was perplexed when we heard today about comments allegedly made by Minister of Finance and the coordinating minister of the economy with respect to the budget.”
“The feeling of the Senate and of course the National Assembly has always been that we do not expect ministers of the Federal Republic and appointees of the President to make comments that tend to give the impression of a collision course between the executive and legislature, because we are all working towards the same purpose; and which is to make sure that we take care of the welfare of Nigeria,” he added.
Abaribe said the budget amendment bill sent by President Jonathan was too bulky to be considered in a hurry.
“We found that these documents are even larger than the budget itself and there’s no way that the Senate and even the National Assembly can consider these amendments until we come back from our vacation this year. And by the way... there’s absolutely no way amendments of this nature would be considered for the short time that we have until we go on our national vacation,” he said.
“Coming to now bring up a whole list of amendments that are even much more than the original that was sent, I do not expect the presidency would say we shouldn’t have enough time to go through it.
“We know that in September as the president has promised, there’s going to be a new budget. So, when you bring a budget of this volume and then you bring another budget in September, what do you expect us to do?”
Meanwhile, President Jonathan yesterday re-submitted the budget amendment bill to the Senate, days after sending similar proposals to the House of Representatives.
In a letter addressed to Senate President David Mark, dated June 26, Jonathan said: “You will recall that the personnel cost was cut across all MDAs which will make it difficult to meet government’s obligations to its workers. I therefore seek your kind understanding for the restoration of the said cuts in order to maintain industrial harmony.”
Jonathan asked for the restoration of cuts made to capital votes of ministries of Works, Health, Power, Transport, Education and the Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme, which he said will have adverse effect of severely undermining “our capacity to create jobs needed for our teaming unemployed youths, women and physically challenged citizens.”
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Nass,I think its time Nigerians start to question your crediblty individually,majority of Nass members are benchwarmer,havin nothin to contribute than to solicite for coruption.let me say posterity will judge,God will inflict all of you and ur wellwisher with great calamity,all the wealth u have aquired thru ur ill gotten money will not be enuf to see u thru,set of armed robbers......
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