Ministers who fail to appear before the house will not get their budget estimates approved - Minority warns

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has vowed to oppose the approval of budget estimates if the minister of the sector does not appear in the house alone.

According to him, some ministers have failed to show respect to the house, and there is a need to hold the government accountable.

“When we get to the approval of budget estimates and ministers don’t appear in person in parliament by themselves, we will not support the approval of the budget allocations to those ministries.

“Ministers must take this house very seriously, and only ministers appointed by the president to oversee the sectors of those ministries must rise from their seats to move motions to ask for budget allocations and approval by this house. Failure to do so will mean that we will stump down a number of those motions.

"We will hold this government accountable, and we intend to strengthen oversight. It begins with this our decision. If ministers don’t appear in person to move motions for budget allocations, then they should expect the fiercest resistance from this side of the house,” he explained.

Meanwhile, parliament has tasked the Ministry of Finance and other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to submit their Heads of Estimates for consideration and approval by parliament on time.