There is a strong indication that President Goodluck Jonathan may have opted for the laying of the 2014 budget before each of the two Chambers of the National Assembly following his inability to present it as scheduled on Tuesday.
At the eleventh hour, the President called off presentation of the budget before a Joint Session of the National Assembly even when necessary arrangements have been made for the annual ritual to hold hitch-free.
In the event that the President could not present the budget by the way of address to the Joint Session of the National Assembly, he may choose to lay it through the Minister of Finance in line with provision of Section 81 of the constitution.
The Section states “The President shall cause to be prepared and laid before each House of the National Assembly at any time in each financial year estimates of the revenue and expenditure of the Federal government for the next following financial year”.
In a letter read on the floor of the Senate shortly after the presentation was called off, President Goodluck Jonathan anchored his decision to shelve presentation on the need for the two Chambers to harmonise the 2014-2016 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP).
President Jonathan’s letter to the Senate reads: “Please recall that I had written requesting the Distinguished Senate to grant me the slot of 12 noon on Tuesday, 19th November 2013 to enable me address a Joint Session of the National Assembly on the 2014 budget.
“However, considering the fact that, whereas the Distinguished Senate has approved the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) based on a benchmark of $76.5 per barrel, the Honourable House of Representatives has used a benchmark of $79 per barrel, it is infeasible for me to present the budget in the absence of a harmonized position on the MTEF.
“In the circumstance, it has become necessary to defer the presentation of the 2014 Budget to a Joint Session of the National Assembly until such a time when both respected chambers would have harmonized their positions on the MTEF. It is my hope that this will be in the shortest possible time”.
The two Chambers had passed different figures as benchmark for the crude oil. While the Senate approved $76.50 per barrel as benchmark for crude oil, as against the $74 proposed in the MTEF/FSP, the House of Representatives approved $79 per barrel.
Speaking with State House correspondents on the issue, Presidential Media Adviser, Reuben Abati contended that the President could “cause the budget to be laid before the National Assembly as soon as the harmonization is concluded”.
Abati spoke further, “The budget has been ready for over a week now, but since the two arms of the National Assembly are yet to harmonize their positions on the Crude oil bench mark in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF and the fiscal strategy paper, FSP, it was wise for Mr. President to wait until this is done”.
