Non consideration and passage of the 2019- 2021 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, and Fiscal Strategy Paper by the National Assembly is delaying the presentation of the 2019 budget estimates by President Muhammadu Buhari, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters ( Senate), Senator Ita Enang has said .
President Buhari, had few weeks back, forwarded to the National Assembly the two documents for consideration and approval, preparatory to 2019 budget presentation, which however, are yet to be considered by either the Senate or the House of Representatives.
Fielding questions from journalists yesterday in his office on when the the 2019 budget would be presented, Enang said, it all depends on when the federal lawmakers approved the MTEF and FSP documents presented to them .
He said : “The president has transmitted to the National Assembly, the request for the approval of the MTEF and the approval of the Fiscal Strategy Paper.
“It is the MTEF that sets out the budget parameters for the benchmark of oil, the exchange rate, the money projected to realise from solid minerals, internal revenue from oil, and borrowings. It is this that enables you to deal with budget projections. That document is pending before the legislature.
“Ordinarily, we should present the budget, but we just felt that the legislature should first pass the MTEF/FSP so that we can use it as benchmark. But since the legislature is still working on the document, we are going to use the parameters that were used in what we submitted as the budget benchmark of oil, exchange rate , the amount we are going to have as excess crude and other sources of revenue as submitted.”
He however added that the Presidency was very much ready to work with the National Assembly in getting things done as far as the 2019 budget presentation is concerned .
According to him, there was still enough time both arms of government to do things aright since the N9.12trillion 2018 budget will expire in June next year.