The presidency Friday said it has received a copy of the 2017 Appropriation Bill as passed by the National Assembly.
The receipt was confirmed by Laolu Akande, the senior special assistant on media and publicity to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo. He said the bill was already being considered by the Presidency before it is eventually signed into law.
“2017 Budget A- appropriations bill now officially received in the Acting President’s office and undergoing very prompt and diligent consideration,” Akande tweeted on Friday.
Speaking with newsmen after the presenting the budget document to the acting president, the senior special assistant to the President Buhari on National Assembly matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, said the acting president would assent to it after the laid down procedure may have been followed.
The budget first presented on December 14, 2016, before the two chambers of the national assembly by the President had an estimate of N7.28 trillion but was raised to N7.44 trillion by the federal lawmakers. Details of the budget showed that N434.4 billion was appropriated for statutory transfers to the National Judicial Council (N100 billion); Niger Delta Development Commission (N64.02 billion); Universal Basic Education (N95.2 billion); National Assembly (N125 billion); Public Complaints Commission (N4 billion); INEC (N45 billion); and National Human Rights Commission (N1.2 billion).
Notwithstanding the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari, Osinbajo had vowed to immediately go ahead and sign the 2017 appropriation into law when it is transmitted to the Presidency for assent.
This came as strong speculations emerged that presidential assent to the budget may be delayed with the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari who is away on a medical follow-up in London, United Kingdom (UK).
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