Senate passes N608bn FCT budget

The Senate has passed, for second reading, the N607.962bn 2022 budget by the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The appropriation bill was passed on Wednesday after several objections over the lateness of the presentation of the 2022 budget.

The upper legislative chamber consequently ordered the authorities of FCT to make available the 2023 budget proposals latest by next week or risk zero allocation for the fiscal year.

The N607.962bn 2022 budget for FCT ran into troubled waters in the Senate after the presentation for a second reading by the leader, Senator Ibrahim Gobir.

Senator James Manager repeatedly reminded the senators that the year the budgetary proposals were meant for was fewer than three months to roll away and subtly called for its rejection.

Manager said, “Mr President, if I heard the Senate Leader right, the N607billion appropriation bill presented for second reading is for FCT and to be implemented in 2022 fiscal year, which is less than three months to roll away.

“To me, this is very unfortunate and must be stopped. What are the people saddled with drafting of the proposals doing since January? Are they aware that we are already in the 10th month of the year?”

In preventing rejection of the proposals, the senator representing the FCT, Philip Aduda, hurriedly rose to tender an apology on behalf of the FCT Minister for late submission of 2022 budget proposals.

Aduda, in his intervention, said: “Mr President, it is very unfortunate that the 2022 FCT budget is submitted for consideration in October, but I seek the indulgence of this Senate to consider it by passing it for second reading as moved by the leader. “

But the President of the Senate, in his remarks, said submitting the 2022 budget proposals in October was not only unfortunate but unacceptable.