President Bola Tinubu has signed the 2023 N2.17 trillion supplementary budget into law to address the urgent security and economic needs of the nation.
Tinubu assented to the supplementary appropriation bill on Wednesday in his office at the State House.
Top government officials such as George Akume, the secretary to the government of the federation; Godswill Akpabio, senate president; Tajudeen Abbas, house of representatives speaker; Atiku Bagudu, minister of budget and economic planning; and Zacch Adedeji, chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), witnessed the signing.
Others at the signing were Opeyemi Bamidele, senate leader; and Olamilakan Adeola, the chairman of the senate committee on finance.
Tinubu commended the national assembly for its expeditious consideration and approval, assuring Nigerians that the executive arm of government would ensure the judicious use of the budgeted resources.
On November 2, the national assembly had speedily passed the supplementary budget for the third reading.
The upper legislative chamber passed the supplementary appropriation bill after Solomon Olamilekan, chair of the senate committee on appropriation, presented a report.
During his presentation, Olamilekan said there was a need for the country to take advantage of the coming dry season to implement some projects like road construction, hence the need for the budget to pass speedily.
Prior to this, some line items in the supplementary budget had sparked outrage.
Some of the items include: the request for N4 billion for the renovation of the residential quarters for the president in Abuja; the renovation of the residential quarters of the vice-president (Abuja) at N2.5 billion.
Others are the purchasing of a presidential yacht at N5 billion; vehicles for the office of first lady at N1.5 billion; SUVs for the Presidential Villa at N2.9 billion; and the replacement of operational vehicles for the presidency at N2.9 billion.