The National Assembly says the recently submitted 2021 supplementary budget proposal would be given speedy passage by the legislators because of its importance.
President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan disclosed this on Thursday while speaking to State House Correspondents soon after he met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said: “You know that the executive arm of government had submitted a supplementary budget request. In the Senate we have had the second reading and we have given the appropriation committee the go ahead to deal with it, in conjunction with the relevant committees; defence and other security agencies committees.
“Also for Covid-19 vaccines that we have to procure we need inputs by the health and primary healthcare committees and we expect a report on the supplementary budget by Tuesday by the grace of God.
Lawan said the issues of security and Covid-19 vaccines contained in the auxiliary budget deserve swift attention from the legislators.
“We may consider that report on Wednesday next week so that we are able to pass the request because of the urgency and need for us to hit the ground running. We need to give so much attention to our security agencies because of the situation across the country and of course the COVID-19 vaccines procurement is also an essential thing that we need to do.”
Petroleum Industry Bill PIB
The Senate President also said the House is working round the clock to ensure it completes work on the Petroleum Industry Bill.
He said the legislators hope to lay final reports of the bill for passage in the two chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday, June 29.
“I have come to update the President on the activities that are lined up in the Senate particularly and the National Assembly in general.
“You recall that we have several bills, very important ones, that are pending and we are working round the clock; we are at the moment, putting finishing touches on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and by the grace of God, the general committees will finish their work by the end of the week and hopefully the reports will be laid on Tuesday in both chambers,” he said.
Electoral Act Amendment
Lawan also said the electoral amendment act is receiving attention and would be passed before the National Assembly goes on its next recess in July.
“We also have some work to do on the electoral act amendment bill. Our committees in the Senate and indeed the House of representatives have worked jointly and we have very little to do really to get the report laid and considered in the two chambers of the National Assembly.
“We expect that we will do that before we go on our annual summer recess, which comes up sometimes on the 15th of July by the grace of God. So before we go on that recess, we should be able to pass the electoral act amendment bill,” he added.
Lawan further stated that the legislators are also working on some loan requests submitted by the executive arm but they will ensure that approvals for loans are not given frivolously in order to achieve the purpose of taking such loans.
Nneka Ukachukwu
