2024 budget will be passed by December 30, 2023 – Senate Leader

The Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele has said the National Assembly will pass the 2024 appropriations bill on December 30, 2023.

Bamidele, also the Chairman of the Southern Senators Forum in the ninth National Assembly, explained that the move was meant to sustain the January-December budget cycle.

He spoke with journalists on Monday in Iyin Ekiti, saying all federal lawmakers would have to cut short their holidays to ensure speedy passage of the 2024 appropriations bill.

He said the federal lawmakers had to introduce new measures, as well as inconvenient themselves, to make the budget passage happen.

He said, “To ensure the passage of the budget, we abridged time to make all ministries, departments and agencies appear before the joint sitting of all the relevant committees of both the Senate and House of Representatives.

“This has already reduced the time for the budget defence process by half rather than appearing before the Senate first and House of Representatives later. The resolution has also removed the need for harmonisation. In essence, we have been able to save time.

“We have also been sitting beyond our regular sitting days. We have sat on Saturdays. We may even sit on Sunday as we are approaching another year. We only give ourselves three days to go home and celebrate Christmas.

“We are reconvening on December 29. Our hope and determination is to pass by December 30. On January 1, 2024, Mr President will have the 2024 appropriation bill at his desk for assent so that its implementation can take off in earnest.”