News: Saraki, Dogara commend Buhari, promise speedy budget passage

The SENATE President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for presenting the budget to a joint session of the National Assembly in person. Saraki stressed that the president’s presence at the National Assembly signaled a new be- ginning in legislative and ex- ecutive cooperation.
“Mr. President, your coming to this hallowed chamber in person today to present the 2016 draft Appropriation Bill, bears eloquent testimony to your profound respect and commitment to the ideals of our constitutional democracy and the dictate of the rule of law. This is the first time in a few years that the President of Nigeria has personally performed this constitutional task. It highlights the importance you have attached to building a smooth working relationship with the National Assembly. This is a positive gesture that is not lost on all of us,” Saraki said.
On his part, Speaker Dogara, who gave the vote of thanks equally noted Buhari’s presentation of the budget per- sonally was a clear departure from the recent past where the head of the executive shunned the National Assembly. He joined Saraki in promising the speedy passage of the budget.
“Indeed, change has also come to the Executive. It was fast becoming a norm that the president sits in the Villa and submits the budget estimates to the parliament by post, thereby shunning the opportunity which today’s occasion normally presents to the president to interact with the legislature and also talk directly to Nigerians about the budget. I was afraid that, with the revolution in science and technology now, the president, this time around, was going to either email or tweet the bud- get estimates to the National Assembly.
“On the budget, we are willing and ready to provide the scrutiny necessary to pass a budget that can be implemented comprehensively to the letter. We are ready to move swiftly and speedily to pass the 2016 Appropriation Bill.
The swift passage of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) already points to our commitment and resolve towards this. I would like to use this opportunity to thank all my col- leagues in the Senate and the House for their steadfastness and patriotism in this area. We will apply same but, in the light of the great importance of this document, we will not short-circuit scrutiny on the altar of expediency,” he stated.
Dogara commended Buhari on his anti-corruption war and “the general structural improvements that are apparent on the face of the document.