National Assembly Transmits 2022 Budget, Buhari To Sign Appropriation Bill On Friday

The Presidency has confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the 2022Appropriation Bill on Friday, December 31, 2021.

This is coming as there have been reports that the National Assembly has transmitted the 2022 budget to the president.

This was made known by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media andPublicity, Mr Garba Shehu, during an interview with Channels Television onTuesday in Abuja, where he also confirmed that the 2022 budget has been transmitted by the National Assembly and the President will sign the bill into law by 10am.

Meanwhile,the passed budget was transmitted through a communication addressed to thePresidency by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Ojo Amo.

The document, with Reference Number NASS/CNA/37/Vol.1/35, indicated that the budget was transmitted last Friday and received by the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President on Saturday.

The letter from the Clerk of the National Assembly reads, “In consonance with theProvisions of the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2, Laws of the Federation ofNigeria, 2004, I wish, with due respect, to forward to Your Excellency, the authenticated copies of Appropriation Bill, 2022, for your consideration andassent.“After YourExcellency’s assent, one copy of the signed bill should be retained in your office while the other two are to be returned for our further action, please.

“With my highest regards.”

It would be recalled that barely a week members of the National Assembly (both the Senate and theHouse of Representatives) passed a budget of N17.126 trillion with the crude oil benchmark increased from $57 per barrel to $62 per barrel.

The Senatepassed the 2022 budget during plenary on Wednesday last week in which theSenate President, Ahmad Lawan, gave an assurance that the bill would be sent to the President for assent the following day.

On its part,the House of Representatives passed the budget last Tuesday. The NationalAssembly raised the total 2022 budget figure from the proposed N16.391 trillionto N17.126 trillion.

The signingof the 2022 budget by the president will enable the federal government maintainits one-year budget cycle of January to December.