President Bola Tinubu has presented the 2023 Supplementary Budget of N2.1 trillion to the National Assembly.

The request was contained in a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, at plenary on Tuesday.

The letter reads: “It has now become necessary to make further provision for additional palliatives, including the wage ward for public servants and the enhanced cash programme for vulnerable members of our society.

“In addition, defence has become critical to provide for peace and secure lives and property, without which the economic agenda of the administration cannot be achieved.

“Similarly, critical investments are also required to construct infrastructure, particularly roads, to commence within the dry seasons we are now in.”

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Monday, approved N2.17 trillion as the second supplementary budget for this year, 2023.

Atiku Bagudu, the minister of budget and economic planning, told journalists after the council meeting, which was presided over by Mr Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.

Mr Bagudu explained that out of the proposed amount, N605 billion would be expended on national defence and security, while about N300 billion would be earmarked for the maintenance of bridges.

The minister also said that N210 billion would go for the payment of wage awards to civil servants and N400 billion for cash transfers to vulnerable households.

He also announced that N100 billion was included in the budget proposals as infrastructure support for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and another N800 billion for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the off-season governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states.

Another provision of N8 billion was included in the supplementary budget for the take-off of newly created ministries, such as the ministry of marine and blue economy, according to Mr Bagudu.

“The council considered a request for supplementary appropriation, which is a second for 2023, and graciously approved the sum of N2,176,791,286,033 as a supplementary budget, and this supplementary budget is to fund urgent issues, including N605 billion for national defence and security,” Mr Bagudu said.

“This is to sustain the gains made in security and to accelerate, and these are funds that are needed by the security agencies before the year runs out. Equally, a sum of N300 billion was provided to repair bridges, including Eko and Third Mainland bridges, as well as the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of many roads nationwide before the return of the rainy season.”

(NAN)