Hope further dimmed for an early passage of the 2018 budget Thursday as the Senate failed to approve the 2018 – 2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).
The approval of this ducument is a key constitutional condition for the consideration of the budget proposal.
To that effect, the Senate had directed its joint committee on Appropriation and Finance to speedily work on the draft MTEF so as to allow it commence debate on the budget proposal.
The report of the committee was supposed to be considered and approved Thursday, but it informed the Senate that there were serious differences between it and the House of Representatives’ committee and sought additional time to sort the issues out.
Although Senate President Bukola Saraki had assured on Tuesday that the fiscal document would be considered this week to allow for debates on general principles of the 2018 budget next week Tuesday, Chairman Senate Committee on Finance, John Enoh (PDP, Cross River State), told lawmakers at Thursday plenary that it is yet to harmonise its report with that of the House of Representatives.
“We need to consult further with the joint committee in the House of Representatives,” Enoh said.
Senate President Bukola Saraki, adjourned consideration of the report on the MTEF/FSP to Wednesday next week.