By Oluwatosin Maliki
On Tuesday, the Nigerian Senate has warned President Bola Tinubu against illegal spending, recommending him to make use of a supplementary budget for its Compressed Natural Gas project.
The Senate committee was led by Senator Jarigbe, who urged the executive arm of government to immediately present a 2023 Supplementary budget to the National Assembly in order to begin the Compressed Natural Gas project.
According to the lawmakers, they insisted that the law was against extra-budgetary spending.
In addition, the committee’s chairman applauded president Tinubu for starting the CNG initiative, but however, warned that it would be illegal to spend taxpayers’ money without approval by the National Assembly, and other projects in the gas value chain.
Also, the senators advised against extra-budgetary expenditure through Ways and Means,’ saying the legislature was ready to support and bring succour to the people.
He stated, “The noble initiative would ameliorate the hardship of the citizens. Also, the President needs to come up with a supplementary budget to enable the government to fund the gas value chain, including the provision for CNG infrastructure and CNG vehicles.”
Furthermore, he noted that the workshops and training for CNG adoption would need to be funded.
“The President should not embark on extra-budgetary expenditure because it would be inconsistent with the provisions of the law.”
Jarigbe emphasized that the National Assembly, with the goodwill leadership of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, was committed in supporting the programmes of Tinubu.
According to him, a 2023 supplementary budget would help curb overspending, instead of the ‘Ways and Means’ approach of the previous administration, which has caused issues of contention in the apex bank.
Recall, that president Tinubu’s Independence speech, he explained that he would ensure that the hardship of Nigerians was alleviated.
Tinubu had said, “A Nigeria where hunger, poverty and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever fading past”.
“We have opened a new chapter in public transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer CNG buses across the nation. These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares”.
“New CNG conversion kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast track the usually lengthy procurement process.”
President Tinubu noted that his administration was also setting up training facilities and workshops across the country to train and provide opportunities for transport operators and entrepreneurs.