From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has deferred the presentation of the N47.9 trillion 2025 budget to the National Assembly.
The National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) announced in a statement that the event initially scheduled for today will now be held tomorrow.
“I am directed to inform you that the presentation of the 2025 Budget by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, has been postponed to Wednesday, 18th December, 2024.
“Staff are to resume their normal duties tomorrow, as the controlled entry instructions earlier given would be observed on Wednesday, 18th December, 2024,” Mr. Alkali Umar, secretary of the Directorate of Human Resource and Staff Development, said.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, confirmed the shift.
He said the development followed ongoing discussions with the National Assembly, arguing that the change would allow for further engagement with lawmakers regarding the proposed budget.
He said: “Usually the executive engages the National Assembly, whose responsibility it is to agree or not agree on days or presentation. That engagement is ongoing, and there is the possibility if the National Assembly concurs that we shift the other presentation from tomorrow to the day after but there’s that great possibility, but you should know that it is the responsibility of the National Assembly.
“The Executive always engages the National Assembly, requesting for their time for body presentation, and the National Assembly traditionally will concur, accept or defer or give another date for that presentation. I’m not suggesting that they have done that in this case, but there is an engagement with the National Assembly that could lead to the possibility of postponing the presentation from tomorrow to the day after,” Idris stated.
The proposed budget for 2025 is set at a staggering N47.9 trillion, reflecting Tinubu’s commitment to economic growth and social welfare. The President aims to enhance job creation, macroeconomic stability, and social security through this budget.