The Senate on Thursday began the process of considering the request of President Muhammadu Buhari for virement of N135 billion from the 2017 budget.
Leader of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, while presenting the requested said the letter was read on July 25 requesting Senate’s approval of the virement.
“I move that the Senate do consider the request of the president to approve the virement of funds from various budgets lines to fund Federal Government’s priority projects and programmes.”
The request was kicked against by some of the lawmakers who described the request as “unconstitutional”.
However, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, pleaded with his colleagues and eventually succeeded in getting the request to be referred to the Committee on Appropriation.
In his submission, Sen. Baranabas Gemade (APC-Benue), said “for the executive branch to request virement on the budget which they have not implemented in anyway whatsoever, I believe they don’t want all items of the budget vired.
“So, those ones that were acceptable and normal for 2017, they should have commenced implementation of those ones and then require the virement on others.
“Most Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) defended their budgets before the various committees and agreed on all the issues as it were.
“And once the budget was passed and they are now requesting virement on matters which they had earlier agreed with the committees and if this document is going only to the appropriation committee and the committee agreed with them, that in fact they should alter the things they had earlier agreed, it becomes complicated,” he said.
Also, Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi), said the budget was extremely too young to be vired.
“The budget is still a baby that has not even been implemented and we want to vire.
“If the content of this viremernt had major restructuring of the budget as passed, then it is a major indictment on the National Assembly that the executive was not in agreement with our works.
“But if what they are asking for is minor virement, we will look at it and if necessary vire.
“But if there is a major restructuring of the budget, as passed in 2017, then it is a complete rubbishing of what the Senate and the House of Representatives had done on the 2017 budget.”
Melaye further explained that the virement would be referred to the appropriate committee but there was every need for every senator to have a copy of the document.
This, he said, was to enable them study it ahead of the report of the appropriation committee.
Similarly, Sen. Tayo Alasoadura (APC-Ondo), said “I don’t know why we are fighting over what we have not seen.
“This budget (virement) is supposed to be referred to the committee in charge and for them to look at it and report back.
“Virement is normal in government activities,” he said.
In his remarks, Saraki said the document had to be referred to the appropriation committee for them to look into it.
“It must be seen by the committees that are affected by the virement. That is key, so that those who in their own wisdom through certain actions would be carried along to look at it if there are any issues.
“This is a request that has come from the executive and we have said many times that we will continue to give support to the executive.
“They brought this virement in, let us send it to appropriation committee to ensure that all the relevant committees that are affected closely work with them.
“Let senators also have copies of the document so that if there is anywhere that has been affected, all fears will be addressed and we will bring it back and discuss.
“We cannot pass it behind your backs we will all be here to look at it. Let the process start running in the right direction,” Saraki said.
The Senate president, thereafter, urged the committee to submit its report within two weeks.(NAN)