The President signed the Supplementary Appropriation Act,
2023, in his office at the State House in the presence of Senate President
Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen
Abbas; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume;
Majority Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele; the Chairmen of the
Appropriation Committees in the Senate, Sen. Olamilekan Adeola, and the House
of Representatives, Hon. Abubakar Bichi, as well as the Chairman of the Federal
Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Zacch Adedeji.
Providing a breakdown of the supplementary budget, the
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, said the newly
approved expenditure for defence and security consists of about thirty percent,
while thirty-five percent is dedicated to the provision of critical
infrastructure to be allocated to the Federal Ministries of Works, the Federal
Capital Territory, and Housing & Urban Development.
The Minister further explained that thirty-two percent of
the supplementary budget was allocated to the new Wage Award for treasury-paid
federal workers to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy, in
addition to cash transfers to vulnerable persons, and support to the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), amongst other considerations.
President Tinubu commended the National Assembly for its
expeditious consideration and approval, assuring Nigerians that the executive
arm of government would ensure the judicious use of the budgeted resources.