Tinubu renews Nigerians’ hope with prompt signing of 2024 appropriation bill

Back to work after his Yuletide break in Lagos, President Bola Tinubu on Monday signed the 2024 Appropriation Bill at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Tinubu assented to the 2024 budget few hours after his jet touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Monday at a brief ceremony held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday.

At the signing ceremony were the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, his Budget and Economic Planning counterpart, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the National Security Adviser, retired AIG Nuhu Ribadu, were also on hand.

Also, the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje and the Chairman of the Senate Appropriation Committee, Sen. Olamilekan Adeola, among others.

This is coming barely 48 hours after both arms of the National Assembly passed the 2024 appropriation bill, increasing it from N27.5trn proposed by Tinubu to N28.7trn.

The budget has N1.7 trillion as statutory transfers, N8.7 trillion as recurrent expenditure, and N9.9 trillion as capital expenditure.

Mr Abubakar Bichi, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, while presenting his report, said a one-day town hall meeting where citizens made contributions to the money bill was held.

The lawmaker said the National Assembly Joint Committee on appropriation worked closely with the Executive on the budget.