The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has said that the National Assembly will pass the 2023 Appropriation Bill of N20.5 trillion before the end of December.
He made this known on Tuesday at a reception organised in his honour as a recipient of the national honour award of Grand Commander of the Order of Niger.
The Punch had reported that President Muhammadu Buhari had, on Friday, presented the 2023 budget of N20.5 trillion before a joint session of the National Assembly.
The budget is tagged “Budget of Fiscal Sustainability and Transition.”
In his speech, Lawan said that by Wednesday, the Senate would begin debate on the bill.
He said, “Tomorrow we will start the debate on the 2023 appropriation bill. Like we did before for the three previous sessions, we are going to pass it before the end of December.
“We are purposeful and we are focused. It’s not for nothing that the presidency decided to give us 12 honours.
“They know our contribution to not only the administration of good governance but also stability of the polity. “
Lawan noted that he believed that the National Assembly of today had provided so much input into political stability in Nigeria, saying that the records were there.
He added, “People can look at what we have done and also those things that we didn’t do. I believe that our colleagues in the Ninth Senate worked so hard.”
Lawan, while honouring women on the occasion of the International Girl Child day, expressed concern about the few number of female senators.
He.said, “We don’t know why the number is small but they have capacity. These are very experienced legislators.
“We wish to see more female legislators. It is only logical that you get more or half of the population than we have today. “
On the national honours, Lawan said that it was a special day for the National Assembly.
“The number of recipients from the Senate this time is the highest. Every senator deserves the award.”
He said that his colleagues were his good friends who ensured that the productivity in the Senate rose.
“We judiciously agreed that anything that will be good for Nigerians, we will do it.
“By the time we are leaving in 2023, we will leave with our heads high.”
