2019 budget: Senate begins debate today

SENATORS will today begin debate on the general principles of 2019 Appropriation Bill of N8.83 trillion presented before the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari. Senate The commencement of second reading of the Appropriation bill by the senators is coming months after President Buhari presented the budget to a joint session of the National Assembly.

Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, who disclosed that the senators will begin the debate today at a brief session of the Senate, yesterday, however, urged the lawmakers to write down their names to indicate when they would make their submissions on the appropriation bill.

“We will commence the second reading and debate on general principles of the budget. So colleagues please put your names on the list for Wednesday (today). Meanwhile, Saraki yesterday announced that following the absence of the chairman, Senate Adhoc Committee on New National Minimum Wage Bill, Senator Olusola Adeyeye (APC, Osun Central), the Deputy Senate Majority Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena, (APC, Edo North), will now head the panel in acting capacity.

Recall that the Senate had on January 24 this year, set up an eight-member Adhoc Committee to look at the New Minimum Wage Bill after scaling second reading, just as the Bill was referred to the constituted ad- hoc committee. The committee was given two weeks to conclude its assignment and report back. In line with parliamentary practice, the Senate adjourned plenary till today in honour of a serving member of the House of Representatives, Temitope Olaoye, a.k.a, ‘Sugar’.

The lawmaker, who represented Lagelu/Akinyele Federal Constituency of Oyo State, was reportedly shot in the eye by unknown gunmen in Ibadan during the March 9 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.