THE Senate today extended the implementation of the 2021 budget to May 31 from the earlier projected date of March 31.
The extension followed the consideration of a bill to amend the 2021 Appropriation Act sponsored by Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi.
Before considering the bill during plenary, the Senate suspended Rule 78(1) of the Senate Standing Orders 2022 (as amended), to enable the upper chamber expeditiously introduce and pass the bill which was read for the first, second and third time after the suspension of Rule 78(1).
While leading the debate on the bill, Abdullahi condemned previous Appropriation Acts which were passed in mid-year, saying their implementations were usually extended to the following year.
“In previous Appropriation Act, these extensions were usually covered by a clause. The clause is in line with the provisions of Section 318 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that the Act runs for a period of 12 months, starting from the date it comes into effect,” he said.
He, however, said he had observed that on the contrary, Clause 12 of the provisions of Section 318 of the Constitution provided that the 12- month period starts from the first day of January to December 31.
He said that the 2022 Appropriation Act was amended to extend the implementation from Dec. 31, 2021, to March 31, 2022.
Abdullahi further noted that the extension of the budget period became imperative in view of the need to complete ongoing projects nearing completion.
“As you are aware, the 2021 virement of the aggregate sum of N276 billion was approved for several MDAs by the National Assembly in December 2021 along with 100 per cent release of the 2021 Capital Budget of the MDAs.
“A significant portion of the releases to the MDAs has been utilised following the extension to March 31.
“In view of the critical importance of some key projects nearing completion, it is expedient to grant further extension of the expiration clause.
“This is to avoid compounding the problem of abandoned projects given that some of the projects were not provided for in the 2022 budget hence the need to extend the implementation year form March 31 to May 31,” Abdullahi said.
