'Presidency not planning to reject document', Ita Enang says

dimeji akinloye

June 3, 2017 9:12 PM

Enang said the presidency is working within the constitutional time-frame required to process details of the budget.

___6781436___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___6781436___2017___6___3___22___Osinbajo

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo had reportedly cancelled the signing of the budget which was initially slated for Thursday, June 1.

This fuelled speculations that the Presidency is not satisfied with the budget, and as a result may reject it.

The budget was sent to Osinbajo for assent by the National Assembly.

In a statement issued on Saturday, June 3, Enang said the presidency is working within the constitutional time-frame required to process details of the budget.

He said, "There is no such plan by it to reject the 2017 budget passed by the National Assembly as alleged in some reports.

"The presidency can only assent to the budget or withhold assent as the case maybe.

"However, should there be areas needing input, the presidency would engage the leadership of the senate and house of representatives.

"As such, any report suggesting a rejection of the 2017 budget by the presidency is incorrect."

Enang, however, noted that the presidency is scrutinising every detail of the budget.

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According to him, this is to ensure that figures appropriated to ministries, department and agencies (MDAs) are consistent with the current economic realities.

"When the budget was presented to both chambers of the National Assembly for consideration last year by President Muhammadu Buhari, both chambers subjected the document to legislative processes, using internal systems at their disposal," he said.

"This, exactly, is what the presidency is actually doing at the moment to ensure that the budget, when assented to, sufficiently addresses the nation’s present realities."

dimeji akinloye