The House of Representatives has called on President Bola Tinubu to promptly transmit the 2025 budget proposal to the National Assembly, emphasizing the need for timely compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2027.
This resolution was passed during a plenary session on Wednesday, following a motion sponsored by Clement Jimbo, a representative from Akwa Ibom State.
In presenting the motion, Jimbo referenced Section 11(1)(b) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which mandates that the Federal Government, after consulting with the states, must prepare a Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for the next three financial years no later than four months before the start of the upcoming fiscal year. The MTEF serves as a guideline for projected revenue, expenditure, and budgetary policies.
As of now, the president has not yet transmitted the MTEF to the National Assembly, raising concerns about adherence to the outlined procedures and timelines for budget consideration and passage.
Jimbo asserted that the National Assembly holds the constitutional authority to investigate how funds appropriated by parliament are spent, accusing Tinubu of failing to comply with the specified timeline.
The motion was adopted following a voice vote by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. Additionally, the parliament tasked the committees on National Planning and Economic Development, Appropriation, and Finance to ensure compliance within two weeks.
