Senate commends State House for quick responses to budget defence

The promptness of the State House in appearing before the Senate Committee on Special Duties to defend its budgetary estimates has been appreciated.

Shortly after Mr. Funsho Adebiyi, the Permanent Secretary of State House, arrived before the committee on Wednesday in Abuja for its budget defense session, Sen. Shehu Kaka, the committee’s chairman, offered the compliment.

After the President of the Senate ordered MDAs not to undermine the budget defense process by causing needless delays, Kaka said it was encouraging that the State House was leading by example and coming in front of other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to defend their budgets.

Kaka said all MDAs under the committee’s supervision would show up to defend their proposals for 2023 and 2024 and advised the other MDAs to follow the State House’s example of timely attendance at the budget session.

He said the committee will oversee the MDAs to guarantee value for each fund appropriated in the next 2024 appropriation as well as the 2023 budget.
The budget for 2024 is intended to consolidate the achievements made in 2023, according to information previously revealed by Mr. Funsho Adebiyi, Permanent Secretary of the State House.

The State House, he added, has an estimated budget of N76 billion for 2024, compared to N21 billion for 2023.

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He said that the foreign exchange rate and general operating costs, which include fueling vehicles for operational needs, were among the factors that contributed to the increase in the budget for 2024.

The new State House Hospital was one of the House’s projects, he said, adding that when it was put into service, it will be among the best.

In all respects, Adebiyi praised the committee for its supervision and assistance to the state house office.
Following the hospital’s completion, a few committee members pleaded with the permanent secretary to make sure that regular Nigerians could also use the newly constructed facility.

The senators also expressed displeasure at the National Assembly’s management’s failure to defend the 2024 budget and provide an update on the 2023 appropriations.