FG To Submit 2018 Budget To NASS In October

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udoma, says the Federal Government has been working to get the 2018 budget to the Senate before the end of October.

Udoma made this known when he appeared before the Senate Joint Committees on Finance and Appropriations.

The minister made the appearance in company of the finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, on Tuesday.

"We intend to have discussions with you so that we can finalise that and take it to the Federal Executive Council so that we restore ourselves to the January to December fiscal year.

"This is to make it much easier to report on the performance of budgets,” he said. Udoma also debunked rumour that they had not released much funds in terms of capital budget since January.

"That is not the case. Between January and June we still have 2016 Budget in operation and we allowed it to flow unhindered.”

He said in implementing the 2017 budget, it would be helpful if there was clarity in terms of the virement because that would help in terms of implementing the 2017 budget.