President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday dedicated the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) solely to receiving final input from cabinet members and relevant agencies of government ahead of his presentation of the 2023 national fiscal budget to the National Assembly on Friday.
The draft document, prepared by the Ministry of Finance and Budget Planning, was therefore presented to Buhari at the meeting during which it was “extensively discussed” by the cabinet, said presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, to State House correspondents at the Aso Rock Villa.
Adesina, however, declined to give details of the budget proposals discussed at the “one-item meeting”, explaining that it would not be proper to give out the details now before the document is formally presented to the National Assembly members.
Besides, since additional input was taken from relevant stakeholders at the meeting, the budgetary proposals may need to be updated before Friday when the President will take it to the federal legislature, said Adesina.
Nonetheless, he acknowledged that what was discussed included the 2023-2025 budget framework, the 2023 budget itself, and other fiscal budgetary proposals to be made ready for presentation on Friday.
He also responded to questions on why the FEC meeting has continued to be held virtually instead of in-person despite the abatement of Covid-19 pandemic, which necessitated the measure.
According to Adesina, the FEC was adhering to the advice of the national steering committee on Covid-19, which recommended that precautions like wearing of masks and reducing the number of persons congregating in an enclosed space or room like the Council Chamber where the FEC session holds.
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