Group urges NASS to treat 2018 Appropriation Bill with urgency

The Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO) on Thursday urged the National Assembly to treat the passage of 2018 Appropriation Bill with urgency to prevent another economic recession.

The Lagos State Chapter of the group made the appeal in a statement jointly signed by its Coordinator and General Secretary, Messrs AbdulWaheed Odunuga and Rasaq Aderigbigbe, respectively.

The group said: “The budget is not a political tool for negotiation but a live wire of the economy and means of survival for Nigerians.

“The leadership of the National Assembly has to express signs of urgency in ensuring the 2018 appropriation bill is passed in order to stimulate the economic activities while improving the standards of living.“

The BYO decried the delay in budget passage six months after President Muhammadu Buhari presented it to the NASS.

The group said the interest of the masses should be put on the front burner by all the institutions of government.

“We do not want to experience any other recession that will cripple the economy and send our foreign investors out of the country again.

“We are holding the leadership of the National Assembly responsible for any defects or demerits that are and will be connected to this foremost bill.

“The bill must receive prompt action and resolution that will amount to enabling and presentation for Presidential assent in this first week of May 2018, being the fifth month of financial year,” the group said.

It frowned at the wide gap between the legislative and the executive arms, saying the masses would bear the consequences.

According to the group, when income is not being redistributed accordingly, it will increase hunger anger and other such feelings.

Our correspondent reports that Buhari presented the 2018 Appropriation Bill before a joint session of the National Assembly on Nov. 7, 2017.