President Bola Tinubu gave top priority to safeguarding Nigerians and their belongings in his N2.176tn 2023 supplemental budget plan, which was presented to the House of Representatives on Tuesday. Defence received the largest allocation of N476.543bn.
The PUNCH reported that this is hardly surprising considering the actions of bandits and other criminal groups in the nation over the last ten years. The National Assembly’s approval is still required for the idea.
The significant funding for the protection of the country’s territorial integrity highlights Tinubu’s promise to make every area of Nigeria safe for habitation.
N300 billion was allotted to Works, and N200 billion went to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
It’s interesting to note that the Federal Capital Territory Administration received N100 billion, Housing received N100 billion, and Police Commands and Allocation received N50 billion.
The supplemental appropriations bill also includes N28 billion for the State House, N210 billion for capital supplementation and N615 billion for Service Wide Votes.
For the November 11 off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo States, the Independent National Electoral Commission (N18 billion), the Department of State Services (N49 billion), and the Office of the National Security Adviser (N29.7 billion) are among the others.
“You will recall that the National Assembly recently passed, and I signed, a Supplementary Appropriations Act 2023 for a total of NGN819,500,000,000.00 (Eight Hundred and Nineteen Billion Five Hundred Million Naira) which, among other things, made provision for recent critical economic policy decisions of the Federal Government,” stated Tinubu in a letter addressed to the House and read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.
“However, new provisions for palliative measures have become required. These include the increased cash transfer program, which is meant to help the most disadvantaged segments of our society and the salary award for public personnel.”
Furthermore, the government’s goal of economic growth cannot be realized without the urgent need for significant defense spending to maintain peace and ensure the safety of people and property.
In a similar vein, significant financial outlays are also necessary to build desperately needed infrastructure, especially roads, which must be started between now and the end of the year during the (dry season).
“Therefore, it is hereby forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration another Supplementary Appropriations Bill for 2023 to cover the above-mentioned expenditures totaling NGN2,176,791,256,033.00 (two trillion, one hundred and seventy-six billion, seven hundred and ninety-one million, two hundred and fifty-six thousand and thirty-three naira).”
During a plenary session on Tuesday, the supplemental appropriations bill passed second reading. The House, through its Appropriations Committees, is likely to provide comments prior to adoption later this week or early the following week.
