The Senate has approved a fresh extension of the implementation of the capital component of the 2024 national budget from June 30 to December 31.

The decision was reached during plenary on Tuesday, following the presentation and expeditious passage of an amendment bill to the Appropriation Act.

The legislation, read and passed through first, second and third readings in a single sitting, received overwhelming support from lawmakers.

Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau announced the resolution following the adoption of the report by the Senate Committee on Supply.

The debate was led by Solomon Adeola, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

Leading the debate, Mr Adeola recalled that the 2024 Appropriation Act was extended from December 18, 2024, to June 30, 2025, which would expire next week.

“Therefore, the need for this new extension is to allow full implementation of the budget to allow ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to utilise effectively large proportion of funds released to them.

“There is a need for further extension for the funds to be fully and judiciously expended,” he said.

Mr Adeola said that given the critical importance of some key projects nearing completion, the extension of the expiration clause had become expedient to avoid compounding the problem of abandoned projects.

“This bill, therefore, provides for the extension of the capital components of the 2024 Appropriation Act from June 30, 2025, to December 31, 2025,” he said.

Contributing, Yahaya Abdullahi (APC-Kebbi) said people had committed their resources and conducted government work but that up till now, they had not been paid.

“So I think we need to know what is really happening. So people are saying that there is a cash flow problem or whatever.

“Mr President, I think the leadership of the National Assembly should take it upon itself to meet the president and express our own concern about what is happening regarding the implementation of the budget,” he said.

Also, Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi) said, “What you ought to hear from the committee chairman on appropriation is whether or not we are experiencing a shortage of revenues; whether or not there is no money in this country to pay off these implemented projects.”

On his part, Seriake Dickson (PDP-Bayelsa) said that since no one was opposed to the extension, it had become necessary.

“This is so that the machinery of the government continues to run and does not grind to a halt.

“But clearly, nobody is satisfied about the situation that we have found ourselves in,” Mr Dickson said.

In his remarks, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary, said the Senate had “absolute confidence” in the committee to do the needful.

(NAN)