Budget Impasse Should be Resolved This Week – Goje, Abdulmumim
- Say Allegations against us Unfounded
By Damilola Oyedele in Abuja
The Chairmen of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje and Hon. Jibrin Abdulmumim have expressed hope that the factors hindering the conclusion of work on the 2016 budget should be resolved this week.
They described as unfounded allegations levelled against them, in the course of working on the details of the 2016 budget.
Both lawmakers have been accused of unilaterally allocating constituency projects worth billions to their constituencies. Abdulmumim was accused of allocating constituency projects worth over N4 billion to Bebeji federal constituency of Kano state which he represents.
In a statement issued Sunday, signed by Appropriation Committees Chairmen, they disclosed the intention to respond to all allegations levelled against them at an appropriate time.
“For now, what we consider important is to resolve the impasse around the budget and get it assented to, so that it’s implementation can begin in the interest of Nigerians,” it read.
The statement titled ‘2016 Budget: A time for Statesmanship’, added that there have been lots of misinformation, misrepresentations and innuendos about the roles played by the Joint Committees on Appropriation in the course of passing the budget.
It read further:
It read further:
“However, we must put it on record that the details aggregated and transmitted to the executive are largely the inputs we received from the standing committees of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“Given the foregoing, and all factors considered, we hereby state that we have had enough controversy over the 2016 budget. What is needful right now is a resolution of the differences and to that end, we call on our colleagues in the National Assembly to accede to the request by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari to have a second look at the details and make the necessary adjustments so that he can assent. This, in our opinion, should not go beyond this week.”
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