The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, vowed that the Red Chamber would ensure that every naira spent from the 2025 budget impacts the lives of Nigerians. He, therefore, urged ministries, departments, and agencies, MDAs of government to align with this commitment.
Akpabio made this statement during the stakeholders’ session on the Appropriation Bill at the National Assembly in Abuja.
The stakeholders’ public hearing marked the involvement of the appropriation subcommittees, building on the earlier engagements of standing committees with the leadership of MDAs.
In his address, the Senate President described the 2025 fiscal policy, termed the “Budget of Restoration,” as “a strategic instrument to secure peace, ignite prosperity, and lay the cornerstone of a stronger, more resilient Nigeria.”
He viewed the session as an opportunity for the National Assembly to craft a budget that addresses immediate needs while also laying the foundation for a resilient and inclusive economy for future generations.
Akpabio elaborated: “The 2025 Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity is coming at a time when the country faces trials that would shake the resolve of lesser nations.”
Expressing confidence in the lawmakers’ ability to handle the task, he stated: “Within every challenge lies the seed of opportunity. The task before us is formidable, but it is neither beyond our reach nor beneath our determination.
“This is not an ordinary assembly, and this is not an ordinary moment. For we are not gathered here merely as legislators, public servants, or citizens, but as custodians of Nigeria’s destiny, stewards of its promise, and architects of its future.”
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Adeola, lamented at the retreat that significant revenue is being held hostage by organisations such as the NNPCL. He alleged that the company continues to treat certain elements of subsidy as operational expenses in its documentation, which affects the availability of free revenue.
Adeola also addressed the padding allegations surrounding the 2024 budget, describing them as “a needless controversy.”
He clarified: “The unfounded allegations of missing N3.0 trillion misrepresented the facts regarding funds appropriated for agencies whose budgets are on a first-line charge.”
