The N2,176,791,286,033 Supplementary Appropriations Bill, according to Abubakar Kabir Bichi, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, was intended to increase food security.
Along with security, food, essential road infrastructure, housing supply, and urban regeneration, the Kano-born legislator highlighted other benefits that Nigerians would enjoy following the budget's adoption.
He went on to say that in addition to supporting cash transfers to disadvantaged Nigerians and the provisional wages given to workers, the financial contribution will also support the approaching off-cycle elections in the states of Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo.
He states that of the 476,543,847,421 that is being requested for the Ministry of Defence, N215,937,945,659 is intended for recurring expenses and N260,605,901,762 is intended for capital expenditures.
Of the N200 billion total recommended for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, N104.800 billion is allocated for ongoing expenses, and N95.200 billion is designated for capital expenditures.
Of the N50 billion that is being proposed for Police Formations and Commands, N20,338,339,731 is intended for capital expenditures, while N29,661,660,269 is for recurring expenses.
The office of the National Security Adviser is proposing to spend a total of N29,700,606,916; of that amount, N27,402,410,057 is for recurrent expenditure and N2,298,196,859 is for capital expenditure.
Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCT) was proposed to receive N100 billion; Department of State Services (DSS) to receive N49,046,831,697; State House to receive N28 billion; Federal Ministry of Works to receive N300 billion; Federal Ministry of Housing to receive N100 billion; Service Wide Vote to receive N615 billion; Capital supplementation to receive N210.500; and Independent Electoral Commission to receive N18 billion were also given.
"The pertinent MDAs have been invited to defend and provide more context for their submissions. We will compile our findings into a report at the conclusion of the hearing and return it to the House.
Hon. Bichi stated, "I have divided this into two sections - We will go into an executive section for the Security Agencies later, and we will start with the Non-security Agencies."
During his speech, Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, the Chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, said that of the N300 billion that the FCT administration had asked, only N100 billion had been given by the Executive to the Legislature for approval.
Nonetheless, he guaranteed that the remaining N200 billion will be retrieved and taken into account for the budget defense in 2024.
The budget defense report is scheduled to be presented to the House by the Committee on Appropriations today for ultimate enactment.
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