HOR Assures Speedy Passage Of 2024 Appropriation Bill

By Oduyemi Odumade

The House of Representatives has assured Nigerians of its determination to ensure the swift passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill when it is presented to Parliament.

The Chairman of the House Committee Kabir Bichi, made the pledge during the inaugural meeting of the Standing Committee in Abuja.

Mr. Bichi emphasized the committee’s commitment to exercising its oversight jurisdiction over relevant government agencies in order to closely monitor the implementation of the budget.

He reiterated the House’s readiness to maintain the Financial Year Act by passing the budget on or before December 31st of each financial year.

This approach aims to ensure that budget implementation begins in January and ends in December, making it both operational and achievable.

Mr. Bichi who said that the Appropriations Committee plays a significant role in the legislative process by allocating funds noted that the committee would organize strategic meetings with the Chairmen of the Finance, National Planning, and Aids, Loans, and Debt Management committees.

These meetings will gather essential data to facilitate the effective functioning of the committee, enabling inclusive budget preparation, appreciable implementation, and efficient oversight.

The Chairman further assured that the panel would fulfill its coordinating leadership role by initiating pre-budget meetings with relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

Additionally, the committee aims to foster sustainable collaboration with its counterpart committee in the Senate and other stakeholders.

During the meeting, the members of the Standing Committee adopted the annual work plan, which includes engagements with key institutions such as the Budget Office of the Federation, Ministry of Finance, Budget & National Planning, Office of the Accountant General, and Debt Management Office (DMO).

The lawmakers also aligned themselves with the work plan goals, which involves reviewing the budget proposal for accuracy and completeness, creating formula-driven templates, designing reporting templates for sub-committees, producing copies of the Appropriation bill, and distributing them to members for scrutiny before the Second Reading.

Edited By Grace Namiji