Buhari Signs N982.7bn 2021 Supplementary Budget Into Law
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the N982,729,695,343 Supplementary Appropriation Bill into law for the year 2021.
Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, made the announcement on Monday.
The newly signed Act, according to the announcement, will be primarily focused on funding security and health, particularly the nation’s COVID-19 needs.
Before Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House), Hon. Umar el-Yahya, the President signed the Supplementary Appropriation Act, 2021 in his office at the State House.
N123.3 million will be used for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, while N859.3 billion would be used to contribute to the Development Fund for capital expenditure for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021.
Buhari praised the National Assembly for speedy deliberation and adoption of the supplementary budget, promising that the executive branch would ensure timely delivery of capital projects to meet the budget’s lofty goals.
The Orthopedic Hospitals Management Board (Amendment) Act, 2021, was also signed by the President at a previous date.
The Act amends the Orthopedic Hospitals Management Board Act, Cap. O10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to provide for the establishment of the Orthopedic Hospital Jos, Plateau State, which will be under the control of the Orthopedic Hospitals Management Board and affiliated to the Jos Teaching Hospital to provide specialized orthopedic treatment and medical services.
After the signing ceremony, Umar Ibrahim el-Yakub, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), spoke to State House Correspondents on the new Act.
“The President has assented the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, so now it’s Supplementary Appropriation Act, since it has been assented by Mr. President.
“Of course, you know, the Supplementary Appropriation Bill was submitted to the National Assembly and they made an expeditious consideration of the bill and was passed and transmitted in record time and Mr. President has today assented to that bill. It will come into force from today.
“As you’re all aware, the bill is targeted only at infrastructure in terms of security and medical. The bill targeted the provision of infrastructure to all the military formations; Defense, Civil Defense, Police and the DSS, all the security outfits in this country will benefit from the bill because of Mr. President’s commitment in combating crimes and indeed, insurgency and all the security challenges facing the country.
“To that end, this bill is very important and it has been assented to. Another critical area of concern is the health sector, which of course, we know with the pandemic, there is need to invest in that sector as well. Mr. President, having assented to the bill, you’ll find that molecular laboratories, about 10 of them, will be established nationwide.”
