The senate will hold an “open day” this Thursday, providing a platform for a diverse group of stakeholders, including heads of MDAs to offer their input on the budget.
The senate has announced plans to suspend plenary sessions for a two-week period upon its resumption on January 14, 2025.
This is in line with the National Assembly plans to begin the committee-level review of the proposed N49.7 trillion 2025 budget.
Additionally, the senate will hold an “open day” this Thursday, January 9, 2025, providing a platform for a diverse group of stakeholders, including heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), to offer their input on the budget.
These were disclosed by the chairman of the senate committee on appropriations, Sen Solomon Olamilekan (APC, Ogun West) during a meeting with other senate committee heads on Monday, January 6, 2025. Olamilekan also highlighted that while January 31, 2025, has been set as the target date for presenting the final reports on the 2025 appropriation bill before both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the date remains provisional and subject to adjustment.
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Despite the short timeline, the senate leadership expressed its commitment to ensuring a thorough and efficient consideration of the budget.
Olamilekan explained that prior to the meeting, the appropriations committee had spent considerable time discussing the most effective way to handle the budget, which was formally presented by President Bola Tinubu on December 18, 2024. The budget was subsequently passed for a second reading in both chambers of the National Assembly the following day.
He said, “For expeditious and thorough consideration, hard copies of the budget proposals were obtained and already given to chairmen of the various committees as required reference documents during budget defence sessions with heads of MDAs under their preview.
“The tentative time table that has been drawn for consideration of the budget at committee level is that budget defence sessions begin from tomorrow (Tuesday), while reports from various committees are expected to be submitted from 15th to 18th of this month.
“Afterwards, collation and tidying up of the various reports will be done by the appropriation committee with the hope of laying the final report on the budget to the Senate on 31st of this month.
“However, the 31st of January, fixed for laying of the budget, is tentative as it is just given to guide our working,” he said.
The meeting concluded with a closed-door session involving the appropriations committee and senate committee chairs, where further plans for the efficient consideration of the 2025 budget were discussed.
STAR Check: Nigerians, particularly, constituents of Ohio West district, can keep tabs on the legislative performance of Sen. Olamilekan throughout the 10th senate here.
