By Henry Umoru & Levinus Nwabughiogu

THE two arms of the National Assembly, the Senate and House of Representatives, yesterday extended the implementation of the capital component of the 2022 budget from March 31, 2023, to June 30.

In the Senate, the extension was sequel to a lead debate by the Senate leader, Senator Ibrahim Gobir, APC, Sokoto East, who requested the upper chamber to  amend the Appropriation Act 2022.

The Senate leader explained that the extension would enable the government implement key projects in the capital component of the 2022 budget  and allow for the completion of ongoing projects critical to the current administration.

The two sponsored bills were: Bill for an Act to amend the 2022 Appropriation Act and Bill for an Act to amend the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act.

The Senate relaxed its standing rules to grant accelerated consideration and approval to enable it read the bill for the first, second and third time before its passage.

In his presentation, Senator Gobir noted that the bills sought to amend the 2022 Appropriation Act and 2022 supplementary Appropriation Act to extend the implementation year from March 31 to June 30.

He added that the National Assembly had extended the implementation of the 2022 Appropriation Act from December  31 2022 to March 31, 2023.

According to him, this is to allow for a full implementation of the budget, given the approval of supplementary budget approved in December  2022.

The Senate leader said:  “You will recall that the National Assembly extended the implementation of the 2022 Appropriation Act from December 31, 2022, to March 31, 2023.

” This was to allow for full implementation of the budget, especially in the light of the 2022 supplementary budget approved in December 202.   The extension had allowed MDAs 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.

“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.”

In his contribution,Senator Gabriel Suswam (PDP, Benue North East), supported the request to extend the budget, adding that  it should be spelt out that the 2022 budget would run concurrently with the 2023 Appropriation Act.

The Senate later dissolved into  “Committee of Supply” to consider the report before it eventually approved and passed the request to extend the life of the 2022 budget till June 30, 2023.

The House of Representatives also extended the validity of the capital component of the 2022 budget and supplementary budget for the same year to June 30, 2023.

Extension of the budget was sequel to a bill for an Act to extend the implementation of the capital aspect of the 2022 Appropriation Act and Supplementary Budget from