Ministerial list delay will not affect 2019 budget -Lawan

Ebun Francis|

Senate president, Ahmed Lawan, on Wednesday said the 2019 budget will not suffer delay as a result of the delay in the submission of the ministerial list.

The senate president made the declaration shortly after he met behind closed-door with President Muhammadu Buhari and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to Lawan, the budget cycle of January to December is possible should the Executive forward the proposal to the National Assembly early enough.

He said, “I think there is nothing to worry as deeply; the budget itself is normally prepared by civil servants. The permanent secretaries superintend and the directors do the work most of the time.

“I believe that we are still on course and I believe that both the Executive and the Legislature are on the same page on this.

“We all desire and are prepared and determined to ensure that we pass the budget by the first or second week of December, by the grace of God, provided it is presented to us in September, end of September.”

Lawan also pledged that the two arms of government would collaborate to ensure a better approach was employed to address the security challenges in the country.

He said, “We are going to collaborate and cooperate with the executive arm of government, work together to ensure that we find better approaches, improved paradigm to ensure that the current situation is addressed properly.”