Without sounding disrespectful, one may say, that it is illogical for the Nigerian National Assembly, to consider the passage of the 2015 budget till after the presidential election slated for February 14, 2015. Sad, It has adjourned till February 17, 2015.
This action according to the National Assembly was to allow its members go to their individual states to gather support for their respective political parties ahead of the February 14 presidential election.
I can conveniently come to the conclusion, that this decision is unpatriotic and unfair to the entire Nigerians. This is the time Nigerians actually required that the 2015 budget be passed by the National Assembly.
Shifting same till after the election sounds parochial and sentimental.
But in stating reasons for the decision, it was the
contention of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, that there is the need to apply caution in the treatment of the budget since no appropriation could be done without first determining allocations to various sectors.
Makarfi argued, "The budget cannot be looked at in a hurry. This is an austerity period. Money should be generated. We also need to cut down on cost of governance by blocking leakages.
"We need to review the earnings and spending of the MDAs while taking into cognisance, the fact that the exchange rate of N165 to a dollar and the oil benchmark of $65 per barrel, are no longer realistic."
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