The hearing was declared open by the Senate President, BUKOLA SARAKI, who noted in his speech that Nigeria was at a critical stage of national development.
In his remarks; the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator DANJUMA GOJE, noted that the public hearing would shape discussion on the parameters that were used in arriving at estimated expenditure.
Our correspondent JAMES IGAH reports that the purpose of the public hearing, which is the first of its kind on budget, is to allow relevant stakeholders and members of the public to make contributions in a transparent exercise before the passage of the Budget by the National Assembly.
You will recall that the National Assembly had suspended regular plenary sessions for three weeks in order to give all committees an opportunity to interface with the ministries, departments and agencies as part of their oversight responsibility on the budget preparation.
