Encouraged by the work done by various committees so far, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said on Tuesday that the National Assembly is working to ensure the 2020 Appropriation Bill is passed on November 28, 2019, before proceeding on Christmas break.
To achieve this target date, Lawan, speaking on the floor of the Senate during plenary, according to a statement by Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to President of the Senate, directed the Senate Committee on Appropriations to submit its report on the 2020 budget proposals on November 26, 2019.
While expressing hope that the House of Representatives would move at the same speed and determination, he Senate President said “the ball is now in the court of Senate Committee on Appropriations, the last committee standing.
“All the committees have done their work so well within the defined parameters and we, therefore, expect the Appropriations Committee to produce the report and lay it here by the 26th of November, next two weeks.
“I believe that the same thing will be done in our sister chamber, the House of Representatives, so that we are able to pass the Appropriation Bill 2020 on November 28, by the Grace of God.”
Meanwhile, a total of twelve bills scaled first reading on the floor on Tuesday.
The bills are: National Religious Equity Commission (Est.) bill, 2019, sponsored by Senator Stella Oduah; Constituency Development Fund (Est.) bill, 2019, by Senator Ali Ndume; National Agency for Technology Incubation (Est.) bill, 2019, by Senator Ajayi Boroffice; National War College Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019, by Senator Aliyu Wamakko; Compulsory Free Universal Education Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019, by Senator Rose Oko, and Private Security and Forensic Investigation Bureau of Nigeria (Est.) bill, 2019, by Senator Barinanda Mpigi.
Others are: Police Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019, by Senator Betty Apiafi; Federal University of Agriculture and Technology Funtua (Est.) bill, 2019, by Senator Bello Mandiya; Federal College of Education (Technical) Kaima, Kwara State (Est.) bill, 2019, by Senator Sadiq Umar; Federal University of Gashua (Est.) bill, 2019, by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi; Federal Medical Centre Dekina, by Senator Jibrin Isah, and National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speeches (Est.) bill, 2019, by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.