2016 Budget Still Work In Progress – FG …As Osinbajo presides over emergency FEC meeting

The federal government said yesterday that the 2016 budget estimates document which was submitted to the presidency was still a work in progress.

 Briefing State House Correspondents mid way into an emergency Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Minister of Information, Mr. Lai Mohammed said that the Ministers had been mandated to study the budget details as it affect their respective Ministries.

Mohammed who said the meeting had broken up after sitting for two hours apparently to enable Muslims observe the Friday prayers added that the meeting would continue later in the day, hinting that there would be a statement on its resolution at the end.

“As you all know, we received the details of the 2016 budget from the National Assembly yesterday. An ordinary meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC was called this morning for the available ministers to look at the details of the budget and how it affects his or her ministry.

 “Let’s say that at this point, it is still work in progress. We have broken up to resume later in the afternoon. There is nothing definite to say. Yes, we have seen it. We are studying it and we will come out with a statement later”, Mohammed said.

 Meanwhile, for the first time in this administration, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo presided over yesterday’s emergency FEC meeting, as President Buhari was conspicuously absent. Although no official reason yet as why the president is absent, his absence surprised members of FEC made up of the 36 ministers, the Vice President, the Secretary to the State Government (SGF) among others.

Source: LEADERSHIP