Why Senate Fails To Pass 2023 Budget As Scheduled

The Senate has blamed the Executive Arm of Government for submitting the budget proposal very late to the National Assembly and when it was laid, it came with errors.

The Senate however failed to pass the 2023 Appropriations bill as earlier scheduled.

There were strong Indications that the 2023 Budget was not going to be passed by the Senators when the budget report was not listed on the Order Paper for Thursday’s Legislative activities.

Prior to the disclosure by the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, the Senators had gone for an Executive Session shortly after the plenary resumed for the day and the closed session lasted for 15 minutes.

In his remarks after closed session, Lawan said that the 2023 Appropriations bill cannot be passed today as scheduled because the Appropriations Committee could not complete work on the budget report.

Lawan who blamed the Executive arm of government for submitting the budget proposal very late and with errors said that the process of cleaning the errors contained in the Appropriations bill was concluded yesterday adding that the two chambers have to harmonize the copy to be able to present the report for passage by both chambers on Wednesday 28th, 2022.

Lawan also assured that the implementation of the proposed budget will still commence on the 1st of January, 2023.