President Bola Tinubu has requested for National Assembly’s approval of additional supplementary budget for Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
President Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter 19th September, 2024, addressed to the Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
President Tinubu’s request is coming barely 110 days after the House approved N98.5 billion supplementary budget for the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike’s administration. The bill was passed on the 6th June, 2024.
It would be recalled that the sum of N1.2 trillion FCTA budget was passed in March, 2024 by the National Assembly.
However, the one page letter read on Tuesday, 24th September, 2024 by the Speaker on resumption from the two months recess, did not include the actual amount being proposed as supplementary budget.
The letter was titled: Submission of Supplementary budget proposal to the 2024 Statutory Appropriation of the federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
“I write in accordance with the provisions of Section 121 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to forward herewith an additional Supplementary Budget Proposal for the FCTA for consideration and passage by the House of the Representatives.
“This Supplementary Budget Proposal has been prepared on the basis of the FCTA’s reviewed revenue and expenditure forecasts and is aligned with the fiscal and developmental policies of the Federal Government and the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“With it, the FCTA continues to prioritise improvement of human capital and infrastructure within the Federal Capital Territory.
“While I trust that the House of Representatives will in their usual expeditious manner consider and approve the 2024 Supplementary Budget Proposal of the FCTA, please accept, Rt. Honourable Speaker, the assurances of my highest consideration and regards.”
Meanwhile, upon reconvening on Tuesday, the lawmakers observed a moment of silence before adjourning plenary and other legislative engagements in honour of the late Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah who until his demise was a Senator of the 10th National Assembly.
Senator Ubah who represented Anambra South Senatorial District, served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream). He passed away in late July 2024 in the United Kingdom at the age of 52.
Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Akin Rotimi in a statement issued at the end of the plenary, explained that the gesture of adjourning plenary in honour of a deceased member is a respected parliamentary tradition in Nigeria’s National Assembly.
He assured that the House will resume its normal legislative business on Wednesday, with the focus on delivering on its key priorities outlined in the Legislative Agenda and ensuring effective service delivery to Nigerians.