February 21, 2018

The Niger House of Assembly on Wednesday passed the 2017 supplementary appropriation bill of N21.754 billion.

The House passed the bill following the presentation of the report of the Committee on Planning and Appropriation.

Presenting the report, Chairman of the committee, Bashir Lokogoma, said the bill was necessitated by the in flow of additional funds not envisaged during the preparation of the 2017 budget.

He said N8.8 billion was received from the excess crude, N5.906 billion from the budget support facility, and Paris club refund of N7.210 billion.

Lokogoma further stated that the bill had recurrent expenditure of N8.286 billion while capital expenditure was pegged at N13.467 billion.

The committee, however, observed that the additional in flows were expended before legislative approval, saying it was unacceptable.

The Speaker thereafter directed the Clerk of the House to forward five copies of the bill to the governor for his assent.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 2017 budget size now stands at N134.950 billion as against N116.196 billion approved initially.