President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday, issued a one-week ultimatum to federal ministries, departments and agencies which had not appeared before relevant committees of the red chamber, to defend their budget proposal for 2022, stating that they risk zero allocation in the coming year. 

Lawan gave the ultimatum in an announcement before the upper chamber adjourned plenary. 

The Senate President said the one-week extension would allow relevant committees to conclude work on the budget estimates of MDAs for scheduled presentation to the Committee on Appropriations. 

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He said, “A one-week deadline is hereby given for all MDAs to defend their budget. If there are any MDAs are not able to do so, they should forget about it because from this week, our Committees would start defending or presenting their budget defence results with the Committee on Appropriations.  

“So, we give more time to our Committees, so that they can engage with the MDAs. When we close at 1 pm today, we expect that the Committees will go and continue with those issues that have not been sorted out.

He continued, “Let me also say this very clearly, that there are many MDAs that are being awaited by our Committees to present some very vital documents, and this is very necessary for us to conclude work on the budget defence exercise. 

“This week, we will close at 1 pm, and Thursday would be for our Committees to work throughout till Friday and possibly Saturday, so that by next week, by the Grace of God, the budget defence would be closed, because that would be the only window.”