House Approves N2.177tn Supplementary Budget Extension

•Passes bill on salaries, allowances of judicial office holders

Adedayo Akinwale and Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives yesterday, approved the extension of the N2.177 trillion Supplementary Act, 2023, from December 31, 2023, to June 30, 2024, following President Bola Tinubu’s request.

The budget revealed that the sum of N967,486,010,536 was for Statutory Transfers; N6,557,597,611,797 was for Debt Service; N8,329,370,195,637 was for Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure while the sum of N5,972,734,929,421 was for contribution to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure for the year ending 31st day of December 2023.

Also, N165 billion was for National Judicial Council (NJC); N119,939,603,660 was for Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC); while the sum of N103,288,086,976 was for Universal Basic Education (UBE); Public Complaints Commission got N10.690 billion; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) got N173,635,157,400; National Human Right Commission got N4.5 billion; North East Development Commission got N59,038,929,318; Basic Health Care Fund got N51,644,043,487 while National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) got N51,644,043,487.

The House further approved the sum of N30,173,520,592 for Severance/Inauguration of Outgoing and Incoming 9th and 10th Assembly (Legislators and Legislative Aides); N30,492,518,529  for National Assembly Office; N33,267,001,807  for Senate; N51,994,511,954 is for House of Representatives; N10,555,809,322 for National Assembly Service Commission; N16,520,653,763 for Legislative Aides; N118,970,215 for PAC – Senate; N142,764,258 for PAC – House of Representatives; N11,307,475,470 for General Services; N7,411,813,596 for National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS); N671,335,001 for Service Wide Vote; N1,059,121,701 for Office of Retired Clerks and Permanent Secretaries.

Also, N125,000,000 was budgeted for Appropriation Committee Department – Senate; N165,000,000 was for House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation; N4.250 billion was for ongoing National Assembly Library Building; N127,500,000 was for hosting of Conference of Speakers of African Parliament (COSAP); N8.500 billion was for NASS liabilities; N255,000,000 was for NASS E-Library; N118,150,000 was for NASS Dashboard; N850,000,000 was for Constitution Review; N7.500 billion was for completion of NASS Library Complex; N2.500 billion was for completion of NILDS Headquarters; while N10 billion was for Construction of NASC building; N6,557,597,611,797 was approved for debt service/sinking fund while the sum of N8,329,370,195,637 is for Recurrent (non-debt) Expenditure.”

Furthermore, capital expenditure got N5,927,734,929,421; aggregate expenditure got N21,827,188,747,391; Surplus/Deficit got N10,782,078,435,531 while debt financing got N8,804,491,636,509.

Additionally, the lawmakers approved the sum of N546,209,099,671 for the Ministry of Defence; N50 billion for Police Formations and Commands; N50 billion for Office of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA); and N49,046,831,697 for Department of State Services (DSS), respectively.

However, the House has adjourned plenary and Committee activities till April 16, 2024, for the Easter and Sallah celebrations.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has passed into law an Act to prescribe the salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits for judicial office holders in the country.

This monthly package includes their basic salaries and all regular allowances which include motor vehicle fueling and maintenance, along service allowances.

The House also approved other job regular allowances not embedded in the total monthly package to include leave allowances estacode per night of $2,000 when applicable, duty tour allowances when applicable, severance gratuity of N80, 775,707.70, after the successful completion of tenure as well as an option motor vehicle loan to be repaid before expiration of tenure.

The bill which was submitted to the House on Tuesday by the President Bola Tinubu was passed at the plenary on Wednesday.

The bill provides a total monthly package of N5,385,047.26 for the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Also, if passed into law, the Justices of the Court of Appeal are to earn a total monthly package of N3, 726,665.40, while the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, President of the National Industrial Court, Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Grand Khadi, FCT Sharia Court of Appeal, President of Customary Court of Appeal, Chief Judge state High Court and Grand Khadi of State Sharia Court of Appeal and President of state Customary Court of Appeal are to earn a total monthly package of N3, 527,022.61. The bill further provides that other Justices of the Supreme Court would earn a total package of N4, 213,192.54, while the President of the Court of Appeal would earn a total monthly package of N4, 478,415.78.