The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has revealed plans by the Federal Government (FG) to involve Nigerians in planning the 2024 budget, News About Nigeria reports.
Abbas made this known during his opening speech at a one-day capacity-building retreat for Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of the House committees in Abuja on Monday.
According to the Speaker, the program held at the Budget Town Hall Meeting was designed to allow Nigerians to express their opinions on the 2024 Appropriation.
Abbas also noted that the program was in line with the plan of the 10th House of Assembly to convene a town hall meeting with stakeholders on the 2024 Appropriation Bill, which will be laid before a joint session of the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking on the reasons for involving Nigerians in the budget, Abbas stated that it would enable the House to be transparent to the public, reducing suspicions and helping to build trust and generate public support for the discharge of their duties and the image of the National Assembly.
Following this, Abbas gave the committee members a two-week ultimatum to finalize all considerations for the budget.
Those present at the event included the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu; Chief of Staff to the President and former Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. Others included the Former President of the Senate and ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, as well as some members of the House and representatives of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) and YIAGA Africa.
