The Senate has passed two bills that aim to extend the implementation of the budget’s capital components until June 30, 2022.
The bills that passed the reading were the 2022 appropriation act (amendment) bill and the 2022 supplemental appropriation act (amendment) bill.
The national legislature allotted N5.4 trillion for capital expenditures in the amended 2022 budget adopted in April of last year.
The legislation that passed first, second, and third readings on Tuesday were sponsored by Senate leader Ibrahim Gobir.
Gobir gave a report regarding the law.
At the presentation of his report in the upper legislative chamber, the senate leader stated that although the capital expenditure portion of the budget had previously been extended to March, it is now being moved to June to ensure “full execution” of the provision.
The appeal was made by President Muhammadu Buhari to the national assembly.
Gabriel Suswam, senator for Benue North-East, stated in his contribution to the discussion that the budgets for 2022 and 2023 should run concurrently and warned that anything else would result in a gap.
In response, Senate President Ahmad Lawan stated that Suswam’s worry was “not that severe.”
“What the administration is requesting is an extension of the implementation period for the 2022 budget, which has no bearing on the implementation of the 2023 budget,” Lawan explained. “That is what I understand.”
The bill was then approved for second reading and forwarded to the “committee of supplies,” where it was ultimately approved for third reading.