Senate steps down 2024 FCT Supplementary Budget
By Hassan Abdullahi Zaria
The Senate on Wednesday stood down the 2024 FCT Supplementary Budget of ₦98.5 billion, over lack of details on projected revenue and expenditure in the budget document presented to lawmakers.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti) had presented the proposed estimate without a detailed breakdown of the expected revenue and expenditure.
Opeyemi in his presentation, said the bill was read for the first time on May 15.
He said the FCT 2024 supplementary budget was to consolidate on the magnitude and scope of ongoing projects simultaneously within the city center and across six area councils.
This, he said, was to ensure the Renewed Hope Mantra for a befitting capital city for Nigeria and Nigerians was achieved accordingly.
Contributing, Sen. Ede Dafinone (APC- Delta) and Sen. Sani Musa (APC-Niger) raised concerns over lack of details on the budget document presented to the lawmakers.
Musa specially said the budget document did not indicate how revenue was generated and utilised in the previous budget.
He said details of budget performance of previous budget were not also captured in the supplementary budget.
President of Senate, Godswill Akpabio acknowledged non-inclusion of the budget details.
However, when the budget was put to a voice vote, the “nays” were loudest but Akpabio did not hit the gravel.
Opeyemi explained that Chairman of Senate Committee on FCT Sen. Ibrahim Bomai had details of the budget but the details were not part of the lead debate that was given to him to present at plenary.
Following his explanation, the budget was stood down to allow for provision of details going forward.