By our reporter| The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the revised 2020 federal budget of N10.8 trillion from the initial N10.5 trillion submitted by the president.
The lawmakers also approved President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for $5.5 billion external loan.
The Senate, meanwhile has hinted that it will consider the revised 2020 budget on Thursday.
The upper legislative chamber had on Tuesday deferred presentation of the report over a delay by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, to provide details for the sum of N186 billion, an amount which is part of the N500 billion COVID-19 intervention fund.
Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Barau Jibrin, explained to his colleagues that the Finance Ministry was yet to comply with the request of the Committee by attaching necessary details for the amount to be captured as part of the 2020 budget amendment bill.
However, Lawan on Wednesday disclosed that the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning had complied with the request of the Appropriations Committee by providing the relevant details for the outstanding N186 billion.
The development, according to him, makes it expedient for the upper chamber to consider the revised 2020 budget on Thursday during plenary.
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