The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, has proposed a review of the Appropriation Act to set a time frame for the nation’s budgetary process.

The Speaker made the call at a gathering where other lawmakers suggested the inputs of the public before passing the nation’s budget.

The 2016 budget is one issue that has continued to generate public debate in the country.

Issues ranging from budgetary processes to passage and implementation continue to attract public interests.

According to the Speaker, there is an urgent need to reform the budgetary process.

Such reforms, according to him, will not only reduce the delay for the passage of the national budget but it will enable lawmakers work on the budget thoroughly before it is passed.

The Governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwa, who was once Speaker of the House of Reps, was also present at the event, and he emphasised the need for planning.

He proposed a time frame for the President to submit the budget to the National Assembly.

On his part, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, advocated a public debate of appropriation bills before they are passed by the National Assembly.

Nigeria currently runs a budgetary system that allows the government to carry over the implementation of a previous budget six months into a new fiscal year. (Channels TV)