N’assembly passes N2trn supplementary budget

The national assembly has speedily passed the supplementary budget of N2 trillion for the third reading.

The upper legislative chamber passed the supplementary appropriation bill after Solomon Olamilekan, chair of the senate committee on appropriation, presented a report on Thursday.

While presenting his report, Olamilekan said there is a need for the country to take advantage of the coming dry season to implement some projects like road construction, hence the need for the budget to pass speedily.

The budget was also approved at the house of representatives after Julius Ihonvbere, leader of the green chamber, moved a motion that the supplementary appropriation bill be considered at the “committee on supply”.

The bill’s five clauses were then considered and approved after which it was read for the third time.

On Tuesday, the supplementary appropriation bill passed the first and second readings in both chambers of the national assembly.

President Bola Tinubu had asked the lawmakers to “speedily” consider and approve the bill.

The supplementary budget would support the provisional wage of N35,000 to workers, costing the federal government N210 billion and N400 billion as cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians, among others.

However, some line items in the supplementary budget have elicited widespread criticism.

A few of such provisions are the purchase of vehicles worth N1.5 billion for the office of the first lady, and a presidential yacht at N5 billion.

The federal government plans to spend N28 billion on the needs of the State House.

A breakdown of the figure showed that the federal government earmarked N2,900,000,000 for the purchase of sports utility vehicles (SUV) vehicles.

The renovation of residential quarters for the president, and Aguda house will gulp N4,000,000,000; and N2,500,000,000, respectively.

Reporting by DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN and SAMUEL AKPAN