Politics
2021 budget tops agenda as NASS resumes plenary tomorrow
The 2021 Appropriations and constitution amendment would top on the agenda of the National Assembly for the remaining part of the year as it resumes plenary tomorrow (Tuesday).
The legislative arm of federal government had on October 20 suspended plenary sessions to allow its various standing committees attend to ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs defend their 2021 budget estimates.
Other critical issues that would receive attention of lawmakers from both chambers -the Senate and House of Representatives, are the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB and Electoral Act (Amendment Bill), which are due for passage next year.
Indication to these was given last week by the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, who disclosed that the National Assembly is working hard to see to the passage of the 2021 Appropriation Bill by the second week of December, 2020.
“We are working to pass the 2021 budget by the second week of December by the Grace of God,” Lawan said at a retreat for top management staff of the National Assembly and National Assembly Service Commission, NASC.
The Senate President also hinted that the Assembly would ensure the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill by the second quarter of 2021.
“The PIB which is one of the most essential legislations that we have to have in this country, we intend to pass it by the Grace of God before the end of the second quarter of next year,” he said.
Lawan further assured that the National Assembly would have been done with the current process of the constitutional ammendment by 2021 and also the Electoral Act (Ammendment Bill).
“The constitutional ammendment, of course at the moment, is not very warm because of the activities of members of the National Assembly on the 2021 budget but the two committees in the Senate and the House are already working behind the scene to ensure that as soon as we pass the budget, the constitional ammendment activities will start in earnest.
“We believe that we should pass our ammendments within 2021. Similarly the ammendment to the Electoral Act is going to be within that year 2021 to ensure that we don’t encounter unnecessary distractions,” the Senate President said.
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