President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan on Thursday disclosed that the 2023 Appropriations Bill submitted by the President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly is fully of errors.
Lawan who made this known at the plenary session before adjournment added that both chambers in collaboration with Executive are cleaning the errors in the budget.
“Due to many errors in the budget , the National Assembly will not be able to pass the budget today ( December 22) , but will come back on December 28 to pass 2023 budget.
According to him, the process of cleaning the errors contained in the Appropriations bill was concluded yesterday and 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 said, “Today was scheduled for us to receive and consider the report of our committee on Appropriation for the 2023 Appropriation Bill.
“However, due to some challenges, we are not able to receive the report of the committee, and the main reason is that the Appropriation Bill came to the National Assembly with some problems and when our committees on appropriation in the senate and the House of Representatives started to reconcile the figures of what we have done and what was presented, the problems became very obvious and they were not easy to deal with, and therefore our committees had to start a process of cleaning up the Bill first.
“That process, of course, also engaged the executive arm because the problems came from there. It was concluded only yesterday, and our committee secretariats are not able to finish processing the budget for us to take today nor tomorrow, nor Saturday nor Sunday because this are periods that are for festivities, Christmas period. Monday, Tuesday are public holidays.
“Consequently, we can only receive the report and consider it on Wednesday, the 28th December, 2022. That is the earliest, that’s next week.
“So far, this ninth National Assembly has done so much to pass the previous appropriation Bills since 2019, before the end of the year to date and I’m sure that this would remain one of the cherished legacies of the ninth National Assembly.
“So by the Grace of God, on the 28th of this month, the senate and indeed the House of Representatives will all come back to receive and consider the budget report from our committees.
“Secondly, our committee on Finance is this morning holding a public hearing on the Finance Bill 2022, and of course the finance Bill is the basis on which the Appropriation Bill 2023 is built.
“We had arranged yesterday that the finance committee will present a report of the Finance Bill. Hearing at 2pm today. That of course would not be possible.
” This is the reason: We also receive two communications yesterday – Supplementary Budget 2022 and of course, Ways and Means. So our committees on Appropriation, Finance, Water Resources, Agriculture and Works and Housing will be processing the Bills for today.
“In that respect, the senate will adjourn immediately so that our committees start the action they are supposed to take and therefore those reports will also be available to us on 28th December when we will be here.
“And by the Grace of God, Wednesday the 28th December, 2022 will be a very heavily loaded day for us, but I’m sure we will be able to deal with all the issues that Wednesday and our colleagues who would wish to travel back to continue the festivities with their families can still make it the following day.
“I want to thank all of you my Distinguished colleagues for your support, cooperation, commitment, dedication on all these things that we have been doing as a legislature.
“Let me advise the Executive. The Bills that have come to us, the Ways and Means, the Supplementary Appropriation, whoever is invited to come and explain, give information or any details for the National Assembly to understand must do so, because its not our work alone.
“We want to do our work thoroughly, we want to understand whatever we are going to deal with and to base our decisions on information, and time is of essence.
“Just like we are going to sacrifice part of our festive period to be back here, nobody should tell us that they are in their places because it is Christmas. They should be available with every necessary information.”
Buhari receives PSC audited report, assures of improved Police welfare
President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday restated his administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force. This, the President notes, is necessary for effective policing by the force.
President Buhari stated this in Abuja, as he received the 2021 audited report and 2023 budget proposal of the Police Service Commission (PSC).
According to him, “this administration has made the welfare of police officers and men a priority and police reforms a sacred duty.
“I particularly note that accommodation for police officers and men is very critical and this administration has made the welfare of police officers and men, and indeed, the armed forces a top priority.”
To underscore the importance of quality welfare in effective service delivery, the President declared:
“I know that when officers and men are posted on duty or assignments and they know that their families live in barracks with facilities, schools, clinics and a conducive living environment, their morale is boosted and they would discharge their duties with courage and efficiency.
“I am pretty aware of the problems and challenges confronting the Nigeria Police Force and the Armed Forces.
“The problem is relative to time and resources and this administration has done a lot with the limitations,” he added.
While assuring the Acting Chairman that their requests would be considered, President Buhari said that dwindling resources arising from fall in crude oil price and local production posed a major challenge which the present administration had to contend with.
Presenting the 2021 audited report and the 2023 budget proposal to the President, Acting Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, JSC (Rtd), expressed her delight at performing the statutory function of presenting the report, in accordance with Section 17 of the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act 2001.
The Acting Chairman stated that upon inauguration, the present Management made it a point of duty to keep the President abreast of happenings in the Commission:
“Upon the inauguration of the present Management on the 28th July, 2018, we made it a duty to keep you abreast with the progress, problems and challenges of the Commission through this procedure. This is the 5th in the series.”
Hon. Justice Ogunbiyi commended the administration of President Buhari for always upholding the rule of law, noting that “as members of the Management Team of the Commission, we have no other alternative than to guard this mandate jealously as expressed by the framers of the Constitution. Thus, the Commission has been consistent in ensuring that disciplinary sanctions are meted out to erring Police Officers; making sure officers are promoted as at when due, taking into consideration available vacancies and seniority ; and ensuring that proper and fit persons are recruited into the Nigerian Police Force.”
The Retired Justice ,while lamenting that inadequate funding had continued to hamper its activities, requested that the Commission’s budget be placed among the first line charge in budget allocation, as that will allow the Commission to be more effective.
She also expressed appreciation to the President for the prompt release of funds towards the completion of its headquarters and requested for a convenient to perform the commissioning.
The Honourable Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammadu M. Dingyadi led members of the Commission to the presentation
