Nigerian Senate approves N574.5 billion extra budget

There is hope that the lingering fuel scarcity will come to an end before the yuletide as the Nigerian Senate Tuesday  afternoon approved President Muhammadu Buhari’s  request to incur an extra budgetary expenditure.

President Buhari initially requested for N465billion to pay for petrol subsidy and other pending bills.

But the Senate committee on appropriation led by Senator Danjuma Goje,   after listening to officials of the Petroleum Ministry and the NNPC increased the request to N574billion, to cover the subsidy till the end of the year.

The Motion for the passage of the 2015 Supplementary Appopriation Bill was moved by Senate Leader Ali  Ndume and seconded by the minority leader, Godswill Akpabio.

Thereafter, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki  put the motion to vote and it was unanimously supported by senators.

The House of Representatives will need to also approve the expenditure, before President Buhari can have  the legal authority to spend the money on request

Before the senate adjourned till Wednesday, thanked senators for the speedy approval of the budget. He however warned the MDAs to judiciously use the funds for the benefit of Nigerians.

“Those who cash in on the suffering of Nigerians to make money will soon be brought to book”, he added.