There are indications that the 2014 Budget might suffer delays as the House of Representatives Committee on Finance might not work on the 2014 budget unless the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, responds to the list of 50 questions the committee gave her to answer on December 19 with respect to the state of the nation’s economy.
Media sources allege that members of the committee had resolved not to look at the revenue framework until the minister responded to their request.
It was learnt that the committee had written a reminder to Okonjo-Iweala, telling her that it will accept nothing short of written answers from her to its queries on the economy.
Also, contrary to the earlier perception that the committee was harsh on the minister when she appeared before it before the House went on Christmas recess, the source said she was politely attended to in line with parliamentary tradition.
The committee had granted the minister the permission to go and receive treatment after she complained that she was ill but a few minutes later, she changed her mind and insisted that she was fit enough to answer the question.
