By Kenneth Ehigiator

LAGOS — The House of Representatives may pass into law today the N639.8 billion 2010 supplementary budget sent to it recently by President Goodluck Jonathan.

President Jonathan had on 2 June 2010 sent to the House the supplementary budget, following the fall in the price of crude oil in the international market.

Crude oil price had oscillated between $77 and $80 in the past few weeks, but fell further to $76 per barrel over the weekend.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, yesterday, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, said the House was aware of fallen oil prices, adding that it was working closely with the executive arm of government to ensure that the supplementary budget was passed into law today.

“As far as the 2010 budget is concerned, we are working with the executive arm of government to make sure that tomorrow (today) the House of Reps will pass it so that we can move forward the building of the country,” he said.

Bankole said the Appropriation Committee of the National Assembly would also work with the Finance Ministry to iron out issues should there be any further slide in the price of crude oil in the international market.

The speaker noted that any further massive slide in the price of the product might affect the implementation of the 2010 budget, adding that both the executive and legislative arms of government would have to work together to stem the effects on the implementation of the budget and economy at large.