***Approves extension from June 30th to December 31st, 2023
***Lawmakers tackle Lawan over needless emergency session
The Senate, in an emergency session on Saturday, passed a bill which seeks to amend the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act to extend the implementation year from the 30th of June 2023 to 31st December 2023
This was just as some senators expressed displeasure over the needless emergency session as the incoming tenth National Assembly can equally consider the bill, especially as government is a continuum.
The emergency session was happening barely 48 hours to the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
It will be recalled that the National Assembly extended the implementation of the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act from 31st March 2023 and also to June 30th, 2023.
The excuse then was to allow full implementation of the budget, especially in light of the 2022 Supplementary budget approved in December 2022, to allow MDA’s to utilize a large proportion of funds released to them.
Leading the debate on the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act Amendment Bill Senate leader and sponsor Sen. Gobir, Ibrahim Abdullahi (Sokoto East) said the important Bills seeks to amend the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act to extend the implementation year from the 30th June 202331st December 2023 respectively
The bill, which was read for the first time on Wednesday, 24 May, 2023, received accellerated consideration as it scaled second reading and the third reading.
According to the senate leader, “You would recall that the National Assembly extended the implementation of the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act from 31st December 2022 to 31st March 2023.
“This was to allow full implementation of the budget, especially in light of the 2022 Supplementary budget approved in December 2022 the extension had allowed MDA’s to utilize 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.
“Given the critical importance of some key projects nearing completion, requesting a further extension of the expiration clause in 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Bill and the Long Title and Explanatory Memorandum is expedient to avoid compounding the problem of abandoned projects, given that some of the projects were not provided for in the 2023 Budget.
“I therefore urge my colleagues to give their full support to this Bill to allow full utilization of the capital releases in order to help reflate the economy”
The President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan in his remarks said, “This is a special session but I appologise for that but essentially what we are about to do here we have passed supplementary Appropriation bill and it was signed in to an act and the date of implementation lapses at the end of June but there have not been releases at all and majority of what is in that supplemwntary Appropriation act are roads, bridges that were destroyed by the flood that we had in 2022.
“So we felt together with the House of Representatives that since releases may start from next week, it is impossible that N819b that was provided in that supplementary “Appropriation will be utilized between now and end of the implementation benchmark and of course we need the road to be fixed, the bridges to be fixed.
“It is already late, in some parts of the country it has started raining already especially in most of the southern States and if we don’t fasten it and the rain takes over even to reconsider will be near impossible. “Essentially, that is why we felt there is a need to have a special session today so that we can pass it. The house passed it on Wednesday last week.
“What is expected of us is passing it along with the House so that the releases start immediately so that the implementation will be
We hope that will give comfort to many parts of the country.So I apologise for not going into a close session.
Senator Kaita, however, challenged Lawan demanding to know what was so urgent about the extension of the supplementary budget 2022 at the twilight of an administration adding that the 10th Senate can continue from where they will stop.
He alleged that many senators were murmuring over the inconveniences caused them by the emergency session, adding that he had already boarded a flight when he decided to cancel it.
Responding to Kaita Lawan said,
“Let me say that if we can do something now, we can’t wait. What we are doing here, this is a very serious emergency for us to do. If you look at our matter of urgent public importance, we raise issues like this. Any day spent is lost, and we see that what we have is for us to make progress with this. Let them go and start implementing, but let the approval be given.
“I take note of your concern but I want to assure you that there is nothing else but the fact that time is of essence and we can’t wait for any longer because Governmemr is a continuity when they start implementing let the new administration come and take over.