Senate passes N27.5tn 2024 budget for second reading

Adekunle Adesuji, Abuja

Senate on Friday passed the N27.5tn Budget proposal for a second reading 48 hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu submitted the budget for consideration.

The upper Chamber passed the budget proposal into second reading after Senators took turn to speak on the budget proposal .

During the debate on the budget , many senators who spoke commended Mr. President for his good intentions for the country.

The budget was passed and referred to the Committee on Appropriations after being put to a voice vote by the Deputy President of the Senate , Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session.

Earlier, Senator Salihu Mustapha while speaking said the budget must prioritise agriculture so that the country could produce what it eats.

He said, “In lending my voice to the beautiful encomiums on the budget. I’d like to draw our attention to agriculture.

” We must pay more attention to ensure that agriculture takes a better place in this budget. Let us look into skill acquisition, so we can produce what we eat.”

Senator Emmanuel Udende, said: “There are more merits in the budget than demerits. The percentage allocated to capital is better than the last.”

Tinubu had on Wednesday presented to a joint session of the National Assembly the budget which he code named , “Budget of Renewed Hope.”

Tinubu pegged the budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year at N9.18 tn.

He said the deficit represents 3.88 percent of Nigeria’s gross domestic product.