Press Statement From The Office Of The Senior Special Assistant To The President On National Assembly Matters

The Federal Capital Territory Appropriation Act, 2016 passed by the National Assembly has been assented to by Mr. President.

The legal implementation of the Budget, therefore comes into effect, which will result in employment in the formal sectors, and informal sectors through projects implementation and employment there from arising.

BUDGET OF STATUTORY CORPORATIONS AND AGENCIES

 Some Nigerians have asked questions as to the legal and Legislative grounds for the laying of the Budget of Statutory Corporations and agencies before the National Assembly for consideration and passage.

The Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 requires that the Budget of the under listed Agencies among others be laid before the National Assembly by Mr. President, in addition to, and independent of the annual Appropriation Act.

1.         Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation                                    

2.         Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation

3.         Bureau of Public Enterprises

4.         Nigerian Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure

5.         Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund

6.         Corporate Affairs Commission

7.         Nigerian Airspace Management Agency

8.         Nigerian Shippers Council

9.         National Maritime Authority

10.      Raw Material Research and Development Council

11.      Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority

12.      National Sugar Development Council

13.      Nigerian Postal Service

14.      Nigerian Ports Authority

15.      Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria

16.      Nigerian Mining Corporation

17.      Nigeria Re-insurance

18.      Nigerdock Nigeria Plc

19.      Securities and Exchange Commission

20.      National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria

21.      Nigeria Re-insurance Corporation

22.      Nigerian Telecommunication

23.      National Automotive Council

24.      Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation

25.      National Communication Commission

26.      National Agency for Food and Drug Administration & Control

27.      Nigerian Customs Service

28.      Federal Inland Revenue Service

29.      Central Bank of Nigeria

Among others

The rationale are:

a.       It is a requirement of the law that the National Assembly as a Legislative body should consider and pass the Budget of each of them.

b.      It is what is spent in the National Budget together with the totality of the expenditure of the collective of the Government Corporations that amount to the total Annual Expenditure of the Country.

c.        The vacancies created by retirement in each of these Parastals and the new employable vacancies are determined by the budgetary requirement of the Agencies as will be approved by the National Assembly. Therefore the other rationale for this is to create, regulate and open up employment in the different Parastatals.

d.      It is also to stimulate the economy, in that there are so many capital projects in the parastatals which when approved by the National Assembly, the parastals will award thus releasing money and stimulate spends into the economy.

e.      It will also ensure accountability by the Corporations because they will only raise and spend as approved by the National Assembly and will increase activism of the National Assembly in her oversight Responsibility because they will be overseeing implementation as approved, and know surplus Revenue to capture for subsequent years’ Appropriations.

f.        It will increase Non – Oil Revenue internally generated. The Agencies are under the Law to keep 20% their operational surplus and remit 80% to the Federal Government.

g.     This process of Appropriation will ensure that no revenue is hidden because of the eagle eye of the approving National Assembly.

There has also been questions that some of these Budget were already approved for them by the committees of the Legislatures.

And the answer is that it is not allowed by the Constitution.

Section 62(4) of the Constitution states:

“     Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorising such House to delegate to a committee the power to decide whether a bill shall be passed into law or to determine any matter which it is empowered to determine by resolution under the provisions of this Constitution, but the committee may be authorised to make recommendations to the House on any such matter.“

Senator (Dr) Ita Enang

SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters- (Senate),

Charles Akpan

Head Press and Public Relations