At the recent plenary of the House of Representatives, a major topic of debate was the extension of the N2.17 trillion supplementary budget for the year 2023 to December 2024. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, MP Tajudeen Abbas, read a letter from the President after which the executive bills requesting the extension were introduced.
The Leader of the House, MP Julius Ihonvbere, moved the second reading of the bills. However, MP Kingsley Chinda, the Leader of the Opposition in the House, expressed concern over the request for the extension of the two budgets.
Chinda said it would be morally wrong for the country to operate with three to four budgets simultaneously. He noted that the 2024 budget is currently being implemented while the executive is still requesting the extension of the 2023 main and supplementary budgets at the same time.
According to him, rather than extending, the major projects in the supplementary budget should be moved to the 2024 budget. MP Alhassan Doguwa (APC-Kano), in his contribution, supported the opposition leader’s position, stating that it would be morally wrong to have three budgets running simultaneously.
The Speaker appealed to members to support the extension of the budget implementation. He said most of the items in the supplementary budget were related to security issues. Despite his plea, majority of the members appeared reluctant to the request for extension of the budgets, shouting “No, no”.
This debate raises critical questions on public financial management and transparency in governance. It is imperative to ensure that budgets are managed efficiently and accountably, ensuring that resources are allocated appropriately to meet the essential needs of the country. Citizens must be informed and involved in the budget process to ensure democratic and equitable governance.
Ultimately, it is essential that politicians act with integrity and accountability to ensure that public funds are used appropriately. Budget debates should not only be about numbers and figures, but also about ethical principles and the long-term vision of the nation’s prosperity and well-being.