The Senate and House of Representatives at its plenary session of Thursday, 13 July 2023 read for the Third Time and Passed the Bill to amend the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act.
The Bill seeks to extract the sum of N500billion from the funds appropriated to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Works, Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Ministry of Water Resources, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the National Assembly and the National Judicial Council (NJC) in the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act for the provision of palliatives to Nigerians to mitigate the adverse effect of the removal of fuel subsidy.
Leading the debate on the Bill, the Majority Leader of the Senate, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (APC: Ekiti) stated that the Bill is aimed at providing adequate funds to support and provide immediate relief to Nigerians following the recent removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government. According to him, the provision of palliatives will contribute positively to the socio-economic conditions of Nigerians. In the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (APC: Edo), explained that the Bill seeks to provide Nigerians with the necessary assistance needed to enhance their welfare.
While debating the general principles of the Bill, lawmakers in both the Senate and House of Representatives laid emphasis on the need to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation and distribution of palliatives through effective oversight by the National Assembly. In addition to this, lawmakers urged the Federal Government to ensure that funds are used effectively, efficiently and in line with the intended purpose.
At the end of the debates, the Bill was referred to the Committee of Supply in the Senate and House of Representatives for consideration and passage. It would be recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had written to the National Assembly requesting an amendment to the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act through a letter read at the Senate and House of Representatives plenary session of Wednesday, 12 July 2023.
