The National Assembly has threatened to sanction Ministers and Heads of Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government who failed to be committed to the defence of their budgetary allocations.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, issued the threat on Tuesday during the stakeholders’ retreat on the 2024 Appropriation Bill in Abuja.
Mr Akpabio said the Senate and the House of Representatives will not tolerate ministers or heads of departments and agencies not interested in defending the allocations to their ministries or agencies in the 2024 budget.
He said such officials of government may face consequences.
Mr Akpabio also disclosed that the National Assembly will maintain the January-December budget cycle.
“We understand that the budget is about fiscal targets, resource allocation, public expenditure policy, productivity and efficiency. We also understand that the process is one of passage, mobilisation and execution, as well as effective monitoring and evaluation.
“However, let me state clearly that the National Assembly will not tolerate lackadaisical attitude from government functionaries in all MDAs in relations to issues surrounding their defences of submissions and our resolve to maintain the January-December budget cycle.
“The consequences may not be palatable for the official or the agency in the eventual passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill,” he said.
The senate president urged those at the retreat to be open-minded, honest and factual in their deliberations.
READ ALSO:Tinubu presents N27.5tr Budget of Renewed Hope to National Assembly
“As the invited stakeholders and the committee settle down to this meeting, I urge you all to be open-minded, honest and factual in your deliberations. We have to understand that we have a common goal, which is to drastically improve the socio-economic condition of our people in the shortest period with the budget of Renewed Hope,” he said.
Last Wednesday, Mr Akpabio asked President Bola Tinubu to restrict ministers and officials of MDAs from travelling outside the country during the period of budget defence.
President Tinubu presented a budget of N27.5 trillion for the 2024 fiscal year to the National Assembly on that day.
