Just In: Osinbajo Signs 2017 Budget

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday signed the 2017 Appropriation bill into law.

Osinbajo assented the Budget around 4:42 p.m.

The budget was passed by the National Assembly some weeks back while President Muhammadu Buhari left Nigeria for the United Kingdom on 7th May to follow up on his medical consultation with his doctors.

The budget, which was presented in December 2016 before the two chambers of the national assembly by President Buhari, had an estimate of N7.28 trillion but was raised to N7.44 trillion by the Federal lawmakers.

Details of the budget showed that N434.4 billion was appropriated for statutory transfers to the National Judicial Council (N100 billion);Niger Delta Development Commission (N64.02 billion); Universal Basic Education (N95.2 billion); National Assembly (N125 billion); Public Complaints Commission (N4 billion); INEC(N45 billion); and National Human Rights Commission (N1.2 billion).

The National Assembly members who witnessed the signing ceremony at the Vice President’s conference room included the Senate President,Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, Senator Danjuma Goje, among others.

Also at the ceremony are the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, Head of Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita, Minister of Budget and National Planning,Udoma Udo Udoma, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (Senate), Ita Enang, Senator Phillip Aduda,