Mr Mufutau Egberongbe, member, Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA), has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately sign the 2013 budget for the overall development of the country.
Egberongbe (ACN-Apapa I) made the call while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.
He said that early endorsement of the budget would allow speedy development in all sectors of government in the country.
The lawmaker said that the delay in signing the budget would affect the private enterprises which would later influence the labour market.
“The president needs to sign the budget early for proper planning and for the sake of private enterprises because the budget informs them with what to do in any given year.
“The delay in signing the budget will not allow the private sectors to move forward which will soon affect their overall activities.
“This will also affect the profit for some period and when that affects them it will also affect employment.
“In a nation where we are lamenting the rate of unemployment among the teaming youths, the government needs not to play politics with the lives of its citizens.
“Federal Government should look into the plight of its citizens and sign the budget quickly so as to create enabling environment for business ventures in the country, “ the lawmaker said.
Egberongbe said that both the executive and the legislature in Lagos State played the vital role in such a way to bring a workable appropriation budget estimate for the year.
He urged the Federal Government to listen to the National Assembly on the budget matter as the House has the power to reduce or increase the budget.
NAN recalls that the President Goodluck Jonathan withheld assent of the budget over the constituency projects included by the assembly.
The president was not comfortable with the alterations, particularly the inclusion of constituency projects which increase the budget.###
