Nigeria’s senate extends 2022 budget implementation deadline to June 30

ADEKUNLE ADESUJI

Again, the Nigerian senate on Tuesday extended the implementation of the capital component of the 2022 budget from March 31 to June 30, 2023.

The senate had on December 28, 2022, approved the extension of the implementation of the 2022 budget till March 31, 2023.

The National Assembly approved N17.12 trillion for the 2022 fiscal year in December 2021.

The upper legislative chamber’s resolution to extend the 2022 budget by three months is a sequel to a request by President Buhari.

The decision of the Senate to further extend the budget implementation by another three months was a sequel to a debate by the senate leader, Senator Gobir Ibrahim requesting the amendment of the Appropriation Act 2022 by the upper chamber.

During the debate, senators relaxed their standing rules to grant accelerated consideration and approval to enable him to read the bill for the first, second and third time before its passage.

During the debate, the senate leader explained to his colleagues that the extension of the 2022 budget by another three months was to enable the government to implement key projects in the capital component of the 2022 budget and allow for the completion of ongoing projects critical to the current administration.

He said, “You will recall that the National Assembly extended the implementation of the 2022 Appropriation Act from 31st December 2022 to 31st March 2023.”

“This was to allow full implementation of the budget, especially in the light of the 2022 supplementary budget approved in December 2022, the extension had allowed MDAs to utilise a large proportion of funds released to them. However, significant amounts of funds remain with MDAs and will require a further extension to be fully expended.

“Giving the critical importance of some key projects nearing completion, requesting a further extension of the expiration clause in the Appropriation (Amendment) Act, 2022 and the Long Title and Explanatory Memorandum of the Supplementary Appropriation Act is expedient to avoid compounding the problem of abandoned projects, given that some of the projects were not provided for in the 2023 budget.”

Contributing to the debate, Senator Gabriel Suswam supported the request to extend the budget, however, he added that it should be spelt out that the 2022 budget would run concurrently with the 2023 Appropriation Act.

After an exhaustive debate, the senate unanimously agreed that the Senate Committee of Supply should consider the report before it was eventually approved and the request passed to extend the life of the 2022 budget till June 30, 2023.