Janet Samuel, Abuja
Senate President, Ahmed Lawan says the Presentation of the proposed N19.76 trillion 2023 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari to the joint session of the National Assembly next month “is not certain due to the on-going renovation of Hollow Chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives.”
Lawan, made the disclosure to Newsmen on Friday in Abuja after the inspection of Room 022 being put into shape as a temporary chamber for the Senate ahead of their resumption for next week Tuesday.
Lawan said though the National Assembly “is expecting Mr. President for presentation of the 2023 budget estimates in the first week of October, but the renovation work going on is creating a challenge of where to host Mr. President.”
The Green Chamber of the House of Representatives normally used for such a very important event is also being renovated, calling for urgent action from the leadership of both Chambers on resumption on how to address the challenge,” he said.
He disclosed further that one of the urgent legislative assignments that would be carried out by the Senate on resumption next week “is the confirmation of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).”
“The confirmation of Justice Ariwoola’s appointment by the Senate on resumption next week is very necessary to beat the three-month period of acting in that capacity.
“The Senate would have confirmed his appointment before proceeding on recess in July, but we got the request to that effect from Mr. President a day preceding the long recess.”
He also said issues of national security which had improved and the consideration of the 2023-2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework ( MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) would be accorded legislative priority upon resumption.
Any temporary arrangements made or being made cannot be compared to a permanent one. Whatever sacrifice that should be made is being made by us to pave the way for the Hallowed Chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives to be renovated to global standards.
Also speaking, the Committee Chairman on Senate services , Senator Sanni Musa of Niger East, said the rehabilitation of the National Assembly has come after over 20year, which is coming as an achievement for the 9th Senate.
He noted that the current Senate has taken the responsibility on themselves to see to the renovation of the chamber as soon as possible to allowed the physical appearance of President Buhari for the presentation of the budget.
