THE Chairman of Appropriation Committee, Abubakar Kabir Bichi had explained the increment of the budget by N1.2 trillion, saying it was due to revenue prospects from Government Owned Enterprises (GOEs) and inflation.
Recall, President Bola Tinubu presented a budget estimates of N27. 5 trillion to the join session of the National Assembly on November 29,2023.
However, the appropriation bill was raised to N28. 77trillion and passed by the Senate on December 30, 2023.
Addressing journalists after the budget was passed on Saturday, December 30, Bichi said:
“We have inflation and exchange rate for the dollar, the executive proposed N750 to the dollar, but after we studied carefully, we look at it , it is unrealistic.
“So we increased to N800. And also we had a meeting with the GOEs, we believe that their submissions is not enough. They have agreed to increase their revenue to N700 billion. That how we are able to get that N1.2 trillion, which we applied to capital,” he said.
The appropriation Committee Chairman further said that this is the first time the capital is bigger than recurrent.
“We appropriate about N850 billion, education, we gave them a lot of money. I believe this budget is brilliant and Nigerians will see a lot of impacts,” he added.
It would be noted that the House of Representatives and the Senate increased the 2024 budget from N27.5 trillion submitted by President Bola Tinubu to N28.77 trillion, amounting to a N1.2 trillion increment.
This was sequel to the passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill on Saturday, December 30, after the consideration and approval of the report of Appropriate and Supply Committees at plenary on Saturday.
Out of the total sum of N28.7 trillion, N1.74 trillion is for statutory transfers, N8.27 trillion is for debt service, N8.76 trillion is for recurrent (Non-debt) expenditure while the sum of N9.99 trillion is for contribution to the development fund for capital expenditure for the year ending 31 December, 2024.
On December 30,2023,the Senate passed the 2024 appropriation bill was of N28.77trillion, after considering and approving the report of Joint Committee on Appropriation of the House of Representatives and Senate.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.