By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
The Appropriation Committees of the two chambers of the National Assembly will present their report on the N49.7trn 2025 Appropriation Bill at plenary on January 31, 2025.
President Bola Tinubu laid the money bill before the joint session of the federal parliament on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.
The two chambers passed the fiscal bill for a second reading 24 hours later, on December 19, after the federal lawmakers debated its general principles.
The National Assembly subsequently adjourned plenary to January 14 for Christmas and New Year celebrations.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, asked the Committee on Appropriation in the Red Chamber to work on the budget proposal within four weeks.
Our correspondent’s investigations revealed that the National Assembly’s leadership had met to design a timetable for passing the budget on January 31, 2925.
A copy of the timetable sent to each of the lawmakers revealed that the joint National Assembly Committee on Appropriations would meet with the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, on January 7, 2025, at 2 p.m.
The Minister of Budget & Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, and the Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu, will attend the meeting.
Heads of the various ministries, departments, and agencies of the federal government and their accounting officers to defend their budget estimates before the joint Appropriations Sub-committees of the federal parliament.
According to the timetable, the exercise will take place from Wednesday, January 8, to Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
The timetable further revealed that the laying, presentation, and possible approval of the report by the Appropriations Committee will be on Friday, January 31, 2025
Senate Spokesperson, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu, confirmed the development in an interview with our correspondent on Sunday evening.
He said, “The subcommittees on Appropriation have been directed to start engaging the MDAs on January 8. Full activities on the 2025 Appropriation Bill will commence the second week in January.
“The joint Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives will start meeting with MDAs on January 7. The final report will be laid on January 31.”
