Confab wants government shut down over budget timeline breach

The plenary also agreed that appropriation bill for 2015 must be presented to the National Assembly on or before September 30 while the process of passage by the National Assembly must be completed within two months for presidential assent in December.The National Conference took this decision yesterday at plenary while completing debate on the report […]

The plenary also agreed that appropriation bill for 2015 must be presented to the National Assembly on or before September 30 while the process of passage by the National Assembly must be completed within two months for presidential assent in December.
The National Conference took this decision yesterday at plenary while completing debate on the report of its committee on public service.
 Also, the conference agreed that Section 82 of the 1999 Constitution which deals with authorization of expenditure in default of appropriation be amended to stop any expenditure by government in the event of a delay in the passage of the budget with established timelines.
 The delegates also approved amendment to Section 147(3) of the 1999 Constitution which demands appointment by the president of at least one minister from each state of the federation.
Instead, it says the section should be reframed to indicate that the president shall appoint not more than one minister from each state of the federation; thus restricting the president from appointing six more ministers from each of the six geo-political zones as is the practice now.
The plenary however rejected a proposed amendment that 40 percent of the ministers so appointed by the president under the said section should be female.
Labour matters also received a boost as delegates voted overwhelmingly to retain labour and minimum wage issues in the Exclusive List as against an amendment that it should be moved to the Concurrent Legislative List as adopted by the devolution of power committee.
However, an amendment that minimum wage be raised from N18, 000 to not less than N40, 000 for public servants was roundly defeated by the delegates during consideration of recommendations.