SENATE PASSES FOR SECOND READING 2024 APPROPRIATION BILL
Working assiduously to meet the
yearnings of the electorate and
instill trust and confidence through President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Budget of Renewed Hope”, the Senate
has on Friday, December 1, 2023 passed for Second Reading the 2024
Appropriation Bill and referred it to the Committee on Appropriation.
The feat was achieved two days after
the laying of the nation’s budget estimates before the joint session of the
National Assembly by President Tinubu. This is in response to the observed time
constraint of barely one month to the end of this year. Couple with the task of
sustaining the January to December Budget Circle, the need to pass the Bill
within record time became imperative.
Accordingly, debate on the General
Principles of the 2024 Appropriation Bill commenced in earnest in the two
Chambers of the apex Parliament. In the Senate, the Majority Leader of the
Chamber Sen. Bamidele Opayemi (APC, Ekiti Central) led the debate which lasted
two days before progressing to next legislative stage.
Speaking on the Bill, the Chairman Senate
Committee on Appropriation, Sen. Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West) said the
Upper Legislative Chamber has set up a template for the speedy consideration
and passage of the 2024 Money Bill. He added that the 10th National
Assembly intends to make this budget impactful.
Sen. Adeola disclosed that his
Committee had a preparatory meeting with the Senate Committees Chairmen on the
consideration and expeditious passage of the Bill. He noted that the Senate
Committees along with their counterpart in the House of Representatives would have
joint deliberations and engagements on budged defence by Ministries, Departments
and Agencies (MDAs) in order to reduce time wastage and hasten up the passage
of the Bill.