The Chairman of Nigeria’s House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs Hon.Benjamin Okezie Kalu says the National Assembly will determine the final budget figure to be passed.
He gave the assurance at a media briefing on Friday at the House Media Centre after the formal presentation of the 2023 Federal Government Budget.
He said that the House will scrutinise the annual appropriation bill presented to a joint sitting of the National Assembly by the Nigerian President.
Kalu also noted that every Committee of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly will conduct its 2023 Budget defense session with the Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs of government in full glare of the public.
Kalu who was fielding questions from newsmen on the budget figure differences said that House ‘ll make sure the the MDAs answer relevant questions on the implementation of the previous and current budget estimates.
“Many people have expressed surprise about the huge figure of the 2023 budget. We ‘ll make sure that we ask the relevant questions on the implementation of the 2022 budget.
“We insisted that the projects in the budget must be done according to national development plans. It is the duty of parliament to determine whether it is proper to raise the figure or not”, Kalu said.
On the defense of the budget by these MDAs at the various parliamentary committees, he said that the scrutiny of these estimates of these government ministries and agencies officials will be done professionally in the presence of the media and the attentive and curious Nigerian public.
Hauwa Abu
