JUST IN: N’Assembly Cuts Short Recess, to Pass 2024 Budget Today

The National Assembly will on Saturday pass the 2024 Appropriation Bill.

Both the Red and Green chambers will pass the harmonised 2024 budget as prepared by the respective committees in charge.

According to a statement by the Clerk to the Senate, Chinedu Akubueze, the plenary will be held by 1pm on Saturday to pass the appropriation bill.

Akabueze said: “This is to kindly inform Distinguished Senators that the plenary sitting of the Senate, scheduled for Saturday, December 30th, 2023, will be held by 1 pm prompt.”

Similarly, the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, corroborated his colleague.

His statement read: “Good morning. Please note that today’s plenary – 30th December 2023 – has been shifted upwards from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.”

Earlier, the Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, said that all federal lawmakers would have to cut short their holidays to ensure speedy passage of the 2024 appropriation bill.

Providing further updates on the 2024 appropriation bill, the Senate Leader assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would pass the budget on December 30.

“To ensure the passage of the budget, we abridged time to make all ministries, departments and agencies appear before the joint sitting of all the relevant committees of both the Senate and House of Representatives.

“This has already reduced the time for the budget defence process by half rather than appearing before the Senate first and House of Representatives later. The resolution has also removed the need for harmonisation. In essence, we have been able to save time.

“We have also been sitting beyond our regular sitting days. We have sat on Saturdays. We may even sit on Sunday as we are approaching another year. We only give ourselves three days to go home and celebrate Christmas.

“We are reconvening on December 29. Our hope and determination is to pass by December 30. On January 1, 2024, Mr President will have the 2024 appropriation bill at his desk for assent so that its implementation can take off in earnest,” Bamidele explained.