Fred Harrison, Abuja
The Federal Executive Council has approved the 2023 budgetary proposal by President Muhammadu Buhari and has supported its planned presentation to the National Assembly.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, made the disclosure to State House Correspondents at the end of Wednesday’s meeting of the Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The President had in a letter written to the National Assembly and read by the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, informed the lawmakers of his intention to present his last budgetary proposal of N19.76trn for the 2023 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the two houses on Friday.
According to Adesina, President Buhari would lay the budget proposal before a joint sitting of the National Assembly on Friday, October 7.
“It was virtually a one item Federal Executive Council meeting in which the budget proposals for 2023 was presented and discussed at length.
“That budget proposal would be taken to the National Assembly on Friday morning by the President,” he said.
But Adesina skipped to give details of the Council’s decision, as a mark of respect for the National Assembly.
“It will not be proper to begin to discuss the content of what will be officially presented on Friday. We want to give the National Assembly the honour of receiving it first then there will be a breakdown on a later date by the Minister of Finance,” he said.
Also, Adesina explained why FEC has not resumed sitting with the declaration that COVID 19 is now over.
He said that the FEC is observing the protocol established by the steering committee which advised that people should wear mask in an enclosed place like the Exco chambers.
“You know, you have to follow the protocols, as done by the steering committee on COVID-19 and the last protocols they announced was that when you are in an open place, you are at liberty to do without your mask, but when you are in an enclosed place, then it is advisable to still use your mask.
“The Council Chambers is enclosed, there are, I think 42 ministers, by the time 42 ministers congregate there, along with other Cabinet Office staff, it’s becoming choked. Then it may not be advisable to have a full blown physical meeting yet, but I’m sure we’ll get to that point.”
