Ebun Francis || Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information on Wednesday said that 2017 budget Passed into law by the National Assembly is yet to be transmitted to the Presidency.
The Minister, who spoke to state house reporters at the end of the federal executive council meeting, however, said that he is aware that an advanced copy of the signed appropriation bill is with the minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr. Udo Udoma, who is expected to verify if what the National Assembly passed is in line with the President transmitted to them in December last year.
“It has not yet been transmitted but at least the Minister of Budget and National Planning has received an advanced copy of what was passed and that is what we need to look at and compare to what we sent. It has not been transmitted officially to the Presidency,” the minister said.
He said all ministers would be required to look at the document against what they sent to the federal lawmakers and report back to Udoma for harmonisation.
“In respect of the budget, it was only this morning that the Minister of Budget and National Planning informed the council that the budget has been passed.
“He has not sent to us individually, copies of the passed budget. We now need to look at it against what we sent and if there is any discrepancies we will report back to the Minister of Budget and National Planning on harmonisation.
“The Ministry of Budget and National Planning will make the implementation of the 2016 budget public. They have told us that about N1.2tn has been released for capital,” he added.
When asked who will sign the budget between the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari who is currently in London, United Kingdom for medical consultation, the minister simply said, “when it is transmitted to the Presidency, that decision will be taken.”