Budget 2017 To Be Ready After Easter Holidays

IF feelers from the House of Representatives are anything to go by, Nigerians should not expect the passage of the N7.3 trillion Budget 2017 until after Easter.

The Green Chamber, through the Chairman of its House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrasak Namdaz, said the “Budget of Recovery and Growth” will be ready after the Easter celebrations.

Namdaz told reporters at a news conference on the weekly activities of the House yesterday said there is no way the budget can be ready before the resumption from the three- week impending Easter holiday.

The Easter break begins on April 11.

Namdaz said: “Hopefully, we will pass this budget when we come back from the Easter break. Even the Federal Government is taking advantage of the non-passage of the 2017 Budget.

“You were in the plenary today when the Minister of Budget and National Planning said if they’re able to reconcile some figures, they are likely to approach us (for inclusion in the budget).

“And I want to assure you that they will approach, this is the House of the people, we will certain be on the side of the people and see how we can include whatever they want to bring.

“But in any case, that will not stop us from passing the budget. But that will, by the special grace of God, be when we return from the Easter break.”

However, the spokesman declined response to questions on if or not the House will first approve the $29.6 billion 2016-2018 infrastructure loans request from the federal government before passing the budget