Politics
CENTRE for Social Justice, CSJ, a Nigerian Knowledge Institution, is deeply concerned about the recent request made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the National Assembly for an amendment to the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act.
The president’s request seeks to extract a substantial amount of N500 billion from the 2022 supplementary budget to provide palliatives aimed at cushioning the effect of fuel subsidy removal.
CSJ finds it disconcerting that such a request is being made in July, the seventh month of the 2023 financial year for an amendment to the previous year’s supplementary budget. This raises questions about the propriety of the timing and the potential impact on fiscal planning and budgetary processes. To be implementing and proposing virements from the 2022 federal budget in July of 2023 rubbishes the idea of a financial year defined as the period commencing on January 1 and ending on the 31st of December of every year.
In fact, and in logical parlance, the Federal Government cannot be proposing to use the 2022 budget to alleviate the hardship arising from the fuel subsidy removal that was announced in the middle of 2023.
Said CSJ in a statement on July 14, by Eze Onyekpere, lead director and Victor Okeke, strategic communications officer, “We note that the President’s request lacks specificity and vital details regarding how the proposed N500 billion will be allocated, spent and utilized. Without specific information on the intended purpose, target beneficiaries, etc, this request violates S.81 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended vis: “The heads of expenditure contained in the estimates (other than expenditure charged upon the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation by this Constitution) shall be included in a bill, to be known as an Appropriation Bill, providing for the issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the sums necessary to meet that expenditure and the appropriation of those sums for the purposes specified therein”.
Stating that “The request is neither transparent nor accountable; it is unconstitutional’ CSJ strongly urged the “National Assembly to assert its constitutional power of appropriation and demand that the requested amount’s specifics and the planned utilization be sent to it for vetting before approval. It is crucial for the government to follow the rule of law, demonstrate transparency and accountability in financial matters, especially when dealing with significant amounts of public funds.”
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July 13, 2023 @ 10:35 GMT|
Tags: Eze Onyekpere President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Victor Okeke
