2016 budget to be passed March – Dogara

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara Thursday assured the Nigerian business community that the National Assembly was committed to pass an implementable 2016 budget by the end of March.

The Speaker gave the assurance when he received members of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA, led by its president, Chief Bassey Edem at the National Assembly complex. Acknowledging the migration of businesses to Ghana and other neighbouring countries due to lack of requisite infrastructure, Dogara emphasised the need to enact Competition Law regime that would attract and encourage investors. He said though the budget has some imperfections, the legislators would ensure that it would impact on the lives of the citizenry.

The Speaker said that the lawmakers were aware of the responsibilities placed on them in ensuring that they scrutinised and ensured a good budget and that they were liaising with heads of ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs to produce a good document.

 He said, “No sooner than later, hopefully by the end of next month, we will have it (2016 budget) ready He also harped on the diversification of the economy just as he reiterated the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration towards enacting friendly legislations that would promote non-oil sector especially agriculture and solid mineral.