The chairman, senate committee on media and publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, has reacted to the claim by the chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Abdul Ningi, that the 2024 budget was padded.
Ningi had in an interview with BBC Hausa alleged that the appropriation bill passed by the lawmakers was different from what is being implemented, alleging that about N3 trillion had been padded in the budget.
Reacting to Ningi’s claims, Adaramodu said there was no budget padding as far as the National Assembly was concerned.
“The national budget is a public document, which expressly states the expected revenue and the expenditure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Senate under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio is not aware of any varied execution of the 2024 appropriation mandate as approved.
“The budget presentation and approval processes were made in the public glare, while the presidential ascent was also in a public ceremony. Any infractions would have been brought before the Senate, if any,” Adaramodu said while urging the general public to be rest assured that there is no budget padding anywhere.
“And we are confident that the 2024 appropriation law will be strictly executed under strict legislative oversight,” he added.
