Bola Tinubu has approved the 2023 supplementary appropriation bill, amounting to a staggering N2.17 trillion.
The signing ceremony, held at the State House, was graced by a host of top government dignitaries, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Abubakar Bagudu; and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacheaus Adedeji.
The supplementary budget, which recently secured the approval of the National Assembly, had sparked controversy due to several contentious line items, notably a N5 billion allocation earmarked for a “Presidential Yatch”.
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However, the lion’s share of the budget, a hefty N605bn, has been allocated to bolster security, thereby enhancing the capacity of the armed forces and security agencies to tackle the prevailing and emerging security challenges across the nation.
In addition, N5.5 billion has been set aside for the student loan program, and more than N616 billion has been set aside for civil servant wage awards.