Reps urges Tinubu to submit 2025 budget to National Assembly

House of Representatives has charged the Executive to transmit the 2025 budget to the National Assembly, without further delay.

The House also mandated its Committees on National Planning and Economic Development, Appropriation and Finance to ensure compliance within two weeks.

This followed the adoption of a motion by Clement Jimbo, on the need for the executive arm of government to comply with Section 11(1)(b) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA).

Jimbo, in his lead debate, said Section 11(1) (b) of the FRA mandates the Federal Government to prepare and transmit to the National Assembly the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) not later than four months before the next fiscal year.

He expressed worry that the powers of the National Assembly to investigate the activities of the executive arm of government is being eroded by the failure of the latter to comply with Section 11(1) (b) of the FRA.

According  to him, “The Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 provides for the prudent management of the nation’s resources, ensures long term macroeconomic stability of the national economy, secures greater accountability and transparency in fiscal operations within a medium-term fiscal policy framework and the establishment of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission to ensure the promotion and enforcement of the nation’s economic objectives and for related matters.

“Section 11(1)(b) stipulates that the Federal Government must, not later than four months before the commencement of the next financial year, cause to be prepared and laid before the National Assembly an MTEF for the next three financial years.”

“The time the National Assembly requires to exercise its functions as enshrined in Section 88(2)(b) is technically being taken away by the non-compliance of Section 11(1)(b) of FRA 2007 by the executive.”

In another motion, the House called for a reversal of the recent hike in the pump price of petrol.

The lawmakers, who made the demand, while contributing to debate on a motion, sponsored by the minority leader, Kingsley Chinda Aliyu, and 111 others, calling for the suspension of the recent hike in price of fuel and cooking gas, said the increase would further impose hardship on citizens.

After a lengthy debate, the House demanded that apart from the reversal of the fuel price hike, the Federal Government should take immediate steps to stabilise petrol and cooking gas prices through temporary price relief measures, tax reductions, or subsidies on LPG for low-income households.

The parliament also called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Ministry of Petroleum Resources and other relevant agencies to hasten the repair/maintenance of domestic refineries and increase local refining capacity, so as to reduce the dependence on imported refined petroleum products.

Also, the Green Chamber implored the Central Bank of Nigeria to implement monetary policies that will mitigate the adverse effects of fuel price hikes on inflation, particularly with regards to essential goods.

Similarly, it urged the Federal Government to explore alternative energy sources and diversify the country’s energy mix to reduce reliance on petrol and gas, promoting renewable energy

Deputy Minority Leader, Aliyu Madaki, who led debate on the motion, had argued that in recent time, the price of fuel and cooking gas has continue to rise. He said this has created an “unsustainable financial burden” on citizens and increased the cost of living.

“The escalating fuel and gas prices are impacting the cost of transportation, food, essential goods and healthcare, further increasing inflation and pushing many families into deeper financial hardship.

“Businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, are struggling to manage their operational costs due to increased fuel prices, threatening economic stability and job security.

“The rising cost of petrol and cooking gas poses a significant threat to the livelihood of millions of Nigerians and unchecked inflationary pressure caused by the increased prices can lead to social unrest, increased poverty rates, and negative long-term economic effects.

“Unless urgent and pragmatic steps are taken to control the rising cost of petrol and cooking gas, the nation will go into an economic crisis leading to negative outcomes like increased crime rate and mortality rate.”

Deputy Minority Whip, George Ibezimakor, said the increase in the pump price of fuel has eroded the benefits of the N70,000 new minimum wage.

“Our people cannot transport their farm produce to the market and because of that, there is an increase in prices of food, we must pressure the government,” he said.

The Minority Whip, Ali JC Isa, said the endless increase in the price of PMS was impacting negatively on the people.

“The people are suffering because of the increase in fuel price and the government should allow the people to breathe and should please not remove the cylinder giving Nigerians little oxygen.

“The government should listen to the cry of the people and take steps to review any policy that will affect Nigerians negatively. Those who sign this motion are of the view of their people and by extension, the Nigerian people are suffering.”

Speaker Tajudeen Abbas mandated the Committees on Petroleum Downstream and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance and report back to the house within two weeks for further legislative actions.