By Marcus Ikechukwu
President Muhammadu Buhari began his first official assignment in the new year by signing into law the N21.8 trillion 2023 budget.
Buhari appended his signature to the budgetary appropriations on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa Abuja.
The President said the signing will avoid delay in the 2023 budget implementation.
He urged the National Assembly to reconsider the decision on his administration’s N23.7 trillion ‘ways and means’ loan request.
Also, Buhari tasked Ministries, Departments, Agencies and institutions of government to gear up the revenue generation process.
“As this administration draws to a close, we will accelerate the implementation of critical measures aimed at further improving the Nigeria business environment and ensuring the welfare of our people,” he stated.
The Senate passed the budget for the 2023 fiscal year.
The budget was increased from N20.5 trillion, presented by Buhari in October, to N21.8 trillion.
Speaking at the signing of the eighth and final annual budget of this Administration, the President said the aggregate expenditures of N21.83 trillion, is an increase of N1.32 trillion over the initial Executive Proposal for a total expenditure of N20.51 trillion.
The President explained that the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act would enable the administration to respond to the havoc caused by the recent nationwide floods on infrastructure and agriculture sectors.
As is customary, he said the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning will subsequently provide more details of the approved budget and the supporting 2022 Finance Act.
”We have examined the changes made by the National Assembly to the 2023 Executive Budget proposal.
”The amended fiscal framework for 2023 as approved by the National Assembly shows additional revenues of N765.79 billion, and an unfunded deficit of N553.46 billion.
”It is clear that the National Assembly and the executive need to capture some of the proposed additional revenue sources in the fiscal framework. This must be rectified.
”I have also noted that the National Assembly introduced new projects into the 2023 budget proposal for which it has appropriated N770.72 billion. The National Assembly also increased the provisions made by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) by N58.55 billion.”
President Buhari said his decision to sign the 2023 Appropriation Bill into law as passed by the National Assembly was to enable its implementation commence without delay, considering the imminent transition process to another democratically elected government.
He, however, directed the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning to engage with the Legislature to revisit some of the changes made to the Executive budget proposal, expressing the hope that the National Assembly will cooperate with the Executive arm of Government in this regard.
He urged the National Assembly to reconsider its position on his proposal to securitize the Federal Government’s outstanding Ways and Means balance at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
”As I stated, the balance has accumulated over several years and represents funding provided by the CBN as lender of last resort to the government to enable it to meet obligations to lenders, as well as cover budgetary shortfalls in projected revenues and/or borrowings.
”I have no intention to fetter the right of the National Assembly to interrogate the composition of this balance, which can still be done even after granting the requested approval.
”Failure to grant the securitization approval will however cost the government about N1.8 trillion in additional interest in 2023 given the differential between the applicable interest rates which is currently MPR plus 3% and the negotiated interest rate of 9% and a 40year repayment period on the securitised debt of the Ways and Means.”
To ensure more effective implementation of the 2022 capital Budget, President Buhari thanked the National Assembly for approving his request for an extension of its validity date to 31st March, 2023.
