Reps pass 2020 budget for second reading, adjourn till Oct 29

The House of Representatives concluded the second reading of the
2020 Appropriation Bill on Thursday and adjourned plenary till
October 29, 2019.

During the continuation of the debate on the key assumptions of
the annual budget, which began on Wednesday, several lawmakers
criticised various aspects and allocations in the financial
proposal.

Also, Babajide Obanikoro said the amount allocated to health is
grossly inadequate, considering the over 180 million population of
Nigeria

In his submission, Yusuf Gagdi, picked holes in the borrowing
plan and debt servicing as proposed in the budget. He also stated
that the total amount voted to education, about N160bn, was not
comparable when considering other African countries. “The capacity
of any government is dependent on it’s own educational system. As
the Giant of Africa, education budget should supersede others in
Africa,” he said.

Also, Mr Toby Okechukwu noted that it was one of the earliest
times that a budget was laid before the National Assembly. “Budget
since 2015 have always been given names, like Budget of
Consolidation, etc. Unfortunately this time around, there is no
nickname for this budget,” he said.

The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, who presided over the plenary,
referred the bill to the standing committees, also known as
Sub-Committees on Appropriations.

Addressing journalists after the plenary, Chairman of the House
Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Benjamin Kalu, noted that
the lawmakers have been working on the budget as scheduled.

Kalu also noted that contrary to the public outcry that the
National Assembly had become a rubber stamp of the Buhari-led
Presidency, the lawmakers had freely criticised the budget, showing
that they were not an appendage of the executive.

He said, “Today is Thursday and a lot has happened between
Tuesday and today. I want to say that, just as we promised that we
are going to support the executive in realising this goal of
reversing the budget to a January-December calendar; just as we
mentioned that we drew a roadmap towards achieving that, our
timetable which we announced here on Tuesday that we would start
debate on Wednesday on the general principles of the budget
estimates, that actually took place.”