Senate to Pass N2.18 Trillion 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill

The Nigerian Senate is set to pass the N2.18 trillion 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill, which was forwarded for consideration by President Bola Tinubu. The request for expeditious consideration was made in a letter read during a Senate plenary. The bill’s budgetary proposals have been debated and passed for a second reading, with the Committee on Appropriations tasked to engage with the heads of affected agencies to defend the proposed allocations.

Key Points

1. Swift Consideration: President Bola Tinubu requested swift consideration of the N2.18 trillion 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill, and the Senate has responded by expeditiously reviewing the budgetary proposals.
2. Committee Engagement: The Committee on Appropriations, led by Senator Solomon Adeola, held meetings with the heads of the seven affected agencies whose budget proposals were outlined in the supplementary budget. These agencies defended their proposed allocations.
3. Final Consideration: The reports from these committee engagements will be submitted to the Senate for final consideration and passage on Thursday. The budget seeks approval for N2.17 trillion in supplementary funding for various government agencies.
4. Key Ministerial Defenses: During the committee’s interactions with the agencies, several ministers presented and defended budget allocations. Notable presentations included the Minister of Housing, Ahmed Dangiwa, who outlined the N100 billion earmarked for constructing housing estates. The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, discussed the allocation of N100 billion, with N22 billion allocated for the completion of the metro rail.
5. Security and Infrastructure: The Minister of Works, David Umahi, defended the allocation of nearly N400 billion. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawale, along with service chiefs, also presented their cases.

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Conclusion

The Senate’s swift consideration of the N2.18 trillion 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill reflects the urgency required for approving these budgetary proposals. The engagements with heads of affected agencies and the defense of allocations by various ministers are essential steps in the budget approval process. Once the committee’s reports are submitted, the Senate will move forward with the final consideration and passage of the bill. This supplementary budget is expected to address various financial needs for government agencies and projects in 2023.