Reps Member Defends Increased Budget

A member of the House of Representatives, from Kano State representing Doguwa/TudunWada Federal Constituency, Alhassan Doguwa reported that there was an upward review of the 2024 budget by the National Assembly.

He stated this during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday night. Doguwa, stated however that the National Assembly is not the only government institution whose budget was upwardly reviewed in the 2024 budget.

He pointed out that other ministries like the Ministries of Defense, Police Affairs, Agriculture, and Health, also saw their budgets raised by the legislators.

Recall that in November 2023, the National Assembly’s 2024 budget which was presented to the president was  ₦27.5 trillion but now increased to ₦28.7 trillion. 

Doguwa, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Upstream, said, “What was budgeted for NASS by Mr President was slightly lower than what we have finally passed into law.

“Of course, for very obvious operational and institutional reasons, we also reconsidered budgeted funds for other agencies of government like the Ministry of Defence, the Police Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, the Health Ministry.”

Doguwa stated further that what was budgeted for the National Assembly was not only meant for the elected members alone but other institutions that made up the legislative arm of the government.

He said, “It is not for the 109 Senators in the Senate, it’s not also for the 360 members of the House of Representatives. 

“A budget for the National Assembly is a holistic and lump sum budget for the institutions, departments and sectoral creations in what we call the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”