2020 budget defence ends today — Senate insists

Senator Dayo Adeyeye, the spokesman of the Senate, yesterday insisted that the ongoing 2020 budget defence by ministries, departments and agencies would end today.

Senate President Ahmed Lawan had, on October 14, said the senate adjourned plenary to October 29 for the committees to work on the budget, warning that any minister or head of agency that failed to defend budget before the deadline would not be given the chance to do so.

“We have earmarked the month of October to be the sole window for all budget defence activities this year by all MDAs. In this regard, our committees will be expected to conclude their work on budget defence within October.

“The subsequent necessary legislative work will be carried out in November and December leading to the eventual passage before the end of this year,” Lawan had said.

Adeyeye yesterday disputed media reports that the October 28 deadline for the budget defence had been shifted. He said: “Majority of the MDAs, up to 80 to 85 percent, have done their defence, it’s just the remaining few.

“In fact, there is real cooperation between us and the MDAs as far as the budget defence is concerned. I don’t think there is any shift. If there is any shift, I will clarify with the chairman of the appropriation committee tomorrow (today).”