The House of Representatives on Thursday said it has adjourned its plenary to Tuesday November 9 2021 after passing into second reading the N16.39 trillion 2022 budget of the Federal Government of Nigeria FGN submitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Spokesman of the lower chamber of the apex legialative institution Hon.Benjamin Kalu who said the House’s decision to suspend its plenary was to properly scrutunize the budget assured of its resolve to pass the budget expeditiously.
He commended the federal government for earmarking N50 billion for the health sector and the huge budget for the security agencies in the 2022 budget.
He also commended the apex legislature for reconsideration of the section 53 (1) of Electotal Act Amendment Bill 2021 wherein Independent National Electoral Commission INEC is empowered to transmit result of election electronically.
He said that the Senate first took the bold step in the reconconsideration of the controversial legislation which many Nigerians expressed dismay over its intial outcome but have now been revisited and sealed by the House.
The Abia born lawmaker nontheless lamented that the annual budgets of the apex legislature is not measuring up to meet the huge responsibilities of the lawmaking, representation and oversight
He noted the the percentage of the annual budget of the parliament when compared with the entire budget figure is dwindling on an annual basis.
He informed that there is reduction in the percentage of the legislature’s budget vis a vis the entire budget figure thus: 1.4% in 2019, 1.18% in 2020, 0.98% in 2021 and 0.82% in 2022 budgets.
