Upper chamber of the National Assembly suspends plenary for one month, to resume on November 24th twenty twenty.
The senate president, senator Ahmad Lawan announced this during plenary in Abuja.
Senator Lawan said this decision was taken to allow various committees to meet with MDAs for the twenty twenty one budget defence.
He disclosed that the budget defence would start immediately, beginning from tomorrow and to end the first week of November.
According to him, any Ministry, Department and Agency’s head who refuses to appear for the budget, would have himself to blame.
Meanwhile in an unusual elongated sitting, the senate also passed the notorious Petroleum Industry Bill which has resisted many legislative change since 2007 to date into public hearing stage.
Senator Ahmad Lawan said this has become necessary in order to make the sector workable and attractive, based on international best practices.
Senator Ahmad Lawan immediately constituted a joint committee, comprising of committees on Petroleum Downstream, Upstream and Gas to work on the bill and report back to the chamber in eight weeks.
He said the ninth assembly was committed to providing a legal, and legislative framework that would regulate the sector and attract foreign investors for the economic development of the country.
The PIB was debated, considered and passed in a single day.
