By The House of Representatives, led by Hon. Abubakar Bichi, Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, has passed a bill to increase the 2024 Appropriation from N28.7 trillion to N35.056 trillion.
The resolution was approved during the consideration and adoption of Clauses 1 to 13 at the Committee of Supply, as recommended by the House Committee on Appropriation.
The proposed N35,055,536,770,218 for the 2024 fiscal year includes N1.7 trillion for Statutory Transfers, N8.2 trillion for Debt Service, N11.3 trillion for Recurrent Expenditure, and N13.8 trillion for contributions to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure, for the year ending December 31, 2024.
In his lead debate, Hon. Abubakar Bichi presented the harmonized joint Senate and House report, urging the adoption of the committee’s recommendations. Speaking with Parliamentary Correspondents, Hon. Bichi emphasized the significance of the budget increase, highlighting crucial infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar road project, spanning about 700 kilometers across nine states, and the Sokoto-Badagry project, covering approximately 1,000 kilometers across six to seven states. Another significant project runs from Ebonyi to Abuja, part of the Trans-Saharan section, covering about 400 kilometers.
He also detailed rail projects extending from Abuja through Katsina, Kaduna to Kano, and from Katsina to Maradi. These critical projects, which Mr. President aims to actualize, are termed “legacy projects,” forming part of the “renewed hope budget.”
Hon. Bichi assured that the Parliament would ensure full implementation of the budget, noting engagements with the Minister of Budget and implementation agencies, including the Ministers of Transport, Works, and Water Resources. They promised that, upon the passage of this budget, its implementation would be fully 100%.
