2024 Budget: We’ve Kept Our Promise To Nigerians, Says Reps’ Deputy Spokesperson

Hon. Philip Agbese, the Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, has praised Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Appropriation Committee Chairman, Hon. Abubakar Bichi, and the entire 10th House for fulfilling their commitment to pass the 2024 budget before the year’s end.

During a special plenary session on Saturday, lawmakers approved the N28.7 trillion 2024 budget, marking a notable increase of N1.27 trillion from President Bola Tinubu’s proposed N27.5 trillion.

Bichi had explained the rationale behind increasing the estimates of the appropriation bill, saying revenue-generating agencies and government-owned enterprises (GOEs) held a meeting with the panel and pledged a substantial revenue rise in 2024 to support the budget.

While reacting to the development, Hon. Agbese lauded the painstaking efforts of his colleagues, especially the leadership of the House and the Appropriation Committee for ensuring that the 2024 Appropriation Bill was passed as promised.

He said, “Nigerians will not take this for granted”, adding that, “the 10th House is known for creating discomfort for its Members, in order to make Nigerians comfortable. This is the People’s House and I’m glad the People are better off with the kind of leadership being provided here”.

The Deputy Spokesperson recalled how the House adjourned its plenary for three weeks to enable various Committees to interface with relevant agencies and scrutinise the 2024 budget estimates.

He said: “At a point, we were almost going to spend our Christmas celebrations in the office. We had to suspend the House rules and were coming to the National Assembly on non-working days (weekends) and many times staying back at non-office hours.

“…That is Saturday and at a time when everyone is out of their station preparing for the New Year celebration with his family, we came all out for the budget to be passed. I thank God we fulfilled our promise. The 10th House under His Excellency, RT. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas must be commended for this.

“I’m sure that the executive would be glad that the legislative arm lived up to its mandate and expectations. We are in alignment with the manifestos contained in the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and with the resolve of all of us to sustain Nigeria on the pedestal of the January-December budget circle.”

Hon. Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, also hailed the decision of Hon. Bichi-led Appropriation Committee for allocating the differential N1.27 trillion to the capital component rather than recurrent expenditure.

“This is a good decision. This is the first time the capital component of the nation’s budget is bigger than recurrent”, he added.

Speaker Abbas, during the budget presentation, said President Tinubu’s government could not afford to fail Nigerians by changing the rots and charting a new course for the masses.

According to the Speaker, it is well-known that millions of citizens are living through difficult times.

“For this reason, they also look to the Tinubu-led government to provide quick and sustainable solutions. The antecedents of the President and your track record in governance inspire a lot of hope in Nigerians, and it is for this reason that we cannot afford to fail Nigerians”, Abbas stated.

Also, during a resumed plenary session on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, following the resumption of the green chamber after a brief recess to allow committees to scrutinise the budget estimates submitted by the President, Speaker Abbas had assured Nigerians that the 2024 budget would be passed on Saturday, December 30, 2023.