The Nigerian senate has postponed passage of the 2022 budget until next Tuesday, December 21.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan made the announcement on Wednesday December 15. Channels Television reported that the delay in capturing the financial requirements of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Population Commission (NPC) in the 2022 budget may be responsible for the failure of the senate to pass the budget yesterday.
Speaking in an interview with journalists, the Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Jibrin Barau, said the commission has met with officials from INEC and NPC to discuss the problem of insufficient funds in the budget of the government agencies.
Barau said;
“We had a very robust and frank interaction with INEC and the National Population Commission in respect to the complaints we have had in different quarters about the inefficiency of funds that have been provided for them in the 2022 appropriation bill.
“Because of the stance of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that these two institutions need to be properly catered for in terms of their funding, we all know the importance of election in this country and indeed the entire world, it is the foundation of every democracy.
“I can’t tell you whether it will be passed this week or not because we are still working on it, you can make your calculations.”