By Haruna Salami
The Senate on Wednesday passed President Muhammadu Buhari’s N895.8 billion supplementary budget for 2021.
This followed the consideration of the report of Appropriation Committee presented by it’s Chairman, Barau Jibrin.
However, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan said the passage of the budget was just the first step as prudent utilisation of the funds would be the second and most important phase.
He urged committees on security agencies in particular and those on health related Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs to strictly monitor the implementation through their oversight functions.
“This supplementary budget is targeted at addressing the security challenges in this country and the procurement, administration and management of COVID -19 vaccines.
“We expect our relevant committees to be stiff and alive to their oversight functions on how this funds would be applied prudently.
“It is very important that we have a review of the application of these funds before we pass the 2022 appropriation bill” adding that “this is a very necessary intervention by this National Assembly, particularly the administration of this country that this is a necessary thing to do.
“We should continue with the funding of our security agencies in 2022 Appropriation Bill because we must overcome the security challenges in the country”, Lawan concluded.
In another development, the Senate has approved External borrowing of N2.343 trillion for the Federal Government to fund some critical infrastructural projects.
The Senate therefore approved that the “authorised amount can be raised from multiple sources such as international capital market or any other multilateral or bilateral sources available”.
This followed the consideration of the report of Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debt by the Chairman, Clifford Ordia on the request by President Buhari for a resolution authorising the implementation of external borrowing of N2.343 trillion (about $6.183 billion USD) in the 2021 Appropriation Act through the issuance of Eurobond in the international Capital Market”.
The Senate President then advised the executive arm of the government that “every cent counts” just as he asked the relevant Senate Committees to be alive to their duties in carrying out their oversight duties.
