The Senate will next Tuesday consider President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to the National Assembly for the approval of N895.84 billion naira as supplementary budget for the 2021 fiscal year, another week’s delay in budget needed to fight insecurity and Covid-19, among others.
But the House of Representatives passed it for second reading on Wednesday.
Everyday.ng reports that of the amount sent for National Assembly approval, not less than N722 billion will be used to deal with the insecurity in the country.
According to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo last weekend, the supplementary budget is intended to enhance the capacity of the military and other security agencies as part of the concerted efforts of the Federal Government to beef up its response to the nation’s security challenges.
Recall that in a letter read at the National Assembly last Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari explained to the federal lawmakers that he needs the extra N895 billion for security use and health related matters.
His words in the letter, “… . In addition, our security and law enforcement agencies urgently need to procure additional equipment and other resources in response to the prevalent security challenges across the country.
“The Ministry of Defence has carefully scrutinized these procurement needs, which the military authorities claim to represent the minimum requirements to secure our country and address current external and internal security challenges….
“We propose to fund the balance of N722.40 billion for capital expenditure on defence/security and capital supplementation from new borrowings, in the absence of any supplementary revenue sources.
“Understandably, needs currently abound in many other sectors. However, we have limited the supplementary budget proposal to just these critical and emergency areas of need due to our severe fiscal constraints.”
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, gave the hint of the Tuesday date in his remark during plenary following a request by the Appropriations Committee Chairman, Senator Jibrin Barau, for time to allow the Joint Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives come up with a harmonised report on the supplementary appropriations bill.
President Buhari last week transmitted a supplementary appropriations bill for N895.842,465,917 billion naira to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.
He explained that the proposed amount would be used to fund the COVID-19 vaccine programme; fund health related expenditures for treatment of additional 50,000 patients under the Nigeria Comprehensive AIDS Program in states; and procure additional equipment captured in this year’s capital expenditure on Defence and Security to tackle prevalent security challenges across the country.
Senator Barau, while coming under order 43 of the Senate Rule on Personal Explanation, sought the approval of the upper chamber for more time to enable the Appropriations Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives harmonise their reports on the supplementary budget request for presentation next week Tuesday.
He said, “I was directed to submit the report of the 2021 Supplementary Appropriations Bill to this Senate today.
“I wish to tell this distinguished Senate that my committee went with that directive, and we have concluded our work on the bill.
“However, Mr. President, we are yet to harmonise our position with that of the House of Representatives.
“The meeting to harmonise our position with the House of Representatives is tomorrow.
“We hope that we are going to finish with them, harmonise and have the same position so as to have a seamless supplementary approval process within the National Assembly.
“Therefore, Mr. President, I’m requesting that the Senate should show understanding because of this development and allow us to lay the report on Tuesday. I so submit, Sir.”
Responding, the Senate President said, “because you have come under standing order 43 which does not allow for debate on the issue raised, I’ll on behalf of the Senate advice that your committee should remain very concerned with strict consideration of whatever the executive side of government has brought as request in the supplementary.
“So, do proper scrutiny, you have requested this yesterday. Work with the House so that we have a Joint report, so we don’t have to go into harmonizations.
“Leave no stone unturned in considering the issues item-by-item, then we unfailingly receive the report and consider it on Tuesday.”