The Senate has extended the implementation year of the 2021 Appropriation Act from March 31 to May 31, 2022.
\nThe extension was approved following the consideration of the \u2018Bill to Amend the 2021 Appropriation Act\u2019.
\nThe Senate, before considering the bill, suspended Rule 78(1) of the Senate Standing Orders 2022 (as amended), to enable the upper chamber to expeditiously introduce and pass the bill.
\nThe bill was read, yesterday for the first, second and third time after the suspension of Rule 78(1).
\nThe bill was sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Yayah Abdullahi (Kebbi North).
\nLeading debate on the bill, Abdullahi, recalled that prior Appropriation Acts in the past were passed mid-year, with their implementation usually extended to the following year.
\nThe lawmaker noted that in previous Appropriation Acts, these extensions were usually covered by a clause, in line with the provisions of Section 318 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that the Act runs for a period of 12 months, starting from the date it comes into effect.
\nHe, however, observed on the contrary that Clause 12 of the provisions of Section 318 of the Constitution provides that the 12 month period starts from January 1 to December 31, 2021.
\nHe recalled that the 2022 Appropriation Act was amended to extend the implementation year from December 31, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
\nAbdullahi explained that the extension of the budget period became imperative in view of the need to complete ongoing projects nearing completion.
\nHe said, \u201cAs you are aware, the 2021 Virement of the aggregate sum of N276billion was approved for several MDAs by the National Assembly in December, 2021 along with 100percent release of the 2021 Capital Budget of the MDAs.
\n\u201cA significant portion of the releases to the MDAs has been utilized following the extension to March 31, 2022.
\n\u201cIn view of the critical importance of some key projects nearing completion, it is expedient to grant further extension of the expiration clause to avoid compounding the problem of abandoned projects given that some of the projects were not provided for in the 2022 budget hence the need to extend the implementation year form March31, 2022 to May 31, 2022.\u201d
\nThe bill to amend the 2021 Appropriation Act was, thereafter, passed sequel to its consideration by the Committee on Supply.
\nMeanwhile, a total of three bills, yesterday, scaled second reading on the floor.
\nThe bills seek to establish the National Industrial Technology Park; the Federal College of Agriculture Ise-Orin, Ekiti State; and Federal University of Agriculture Ogoja, Cross River State.
\nThe bills were sponsored by Senators Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun Central), Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti South) and Agom Jarigbe (Cross River North).
\nThe bills after consideration were referred by the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan, to the Committees on Trade and Investment; and the Joint Committees on Tertiary Institutions and Agriculture and Rural Development.
\nThe committees were all given four weeks to report back to the upper chamber.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Senate has extended the implementation year of the 2021 Appropriation Act from March 31 to May 31, 2022. The extension was approved following the consideration of the \u2018Bill to Amend the 2021 Appropriation Act\u2019. The Senate, before considering the bill, suspended Rule 78(1) of the Senate Standing Orders 2022 (as amended), to enable the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":291688,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[76],"tags":[688],"yoast_head":"\n