By Tony Obiechina, ABUJA
The Federal Government has denied media reports that it was holding the legislature responsible for the delay in the presentation of the 2019 Budget to the National Assembly.
Some national dailies reported on Thursday that the federal government had blamed the National Assembly for the delay in presentation.
A statement from the Ministry of Budget and National Planning on Thursday, said reporters misconstrued the minster’s response when he was asked in the Villa yesterday when the budget would be submitted.
The statement which was signed by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media & Communication, Mr Akpandem James reads:
“Going by the headlines in some news media today (Thursday) in respect of the presentation of the 2019 Budget to the National Assembly, it is obvious that some of the reporters misconstrued the response of the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, when he was asked when the budget would be submitted to the Legislature.
“The Minister simply said that as is the procedure when the budget is ready, the Executive liaises with the National Assembly for a date which the Budget will be laid before the joint session of the Assembly; and that the process is on already.
“The Minister at no time throughout the interaction with the media blamed the National Assembly for the delay in the presentation, nor gave the impression that there was any issue between the two arms of government”.
