The Senate has adjourned its plenary session and entered a recess, with plans to reconvene on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Senate President Godswill Akpabio made the announcement during Tuesday’s session in the Red Chamber. The recess allows lawmakers to engage in activities celebrating the 2024 Democracy Day and marks the Senate’s end-of-session break following their inauguration on June 13, 2023.
The 10th National Assembly will celebrate its one-year anniversary in office on Thursday, June 13. During the session, the Senate approved a total budget of N1.911 trillion for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for 2024. This approval followed deliberations on the committee report presented by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyoung (APC–Akwa Ibom South), Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC.
Senators expressed concerns over the NDDC’s proposed borrowing of N1 trillion to fund the budget, highlighting procedural irregularities. They stressed the need for collaboration with government agencies such as the Debt Management Office and adherence to the Fiscal Responsibility Act in loan approval processes. The budget breakdown includes N38.545 billion for personnel costs, N29.246 billion for overhead costs, and N8.785 billion for internal capital, with N324 billion expected from the federal government and N25 billion from the Ecological Fund.
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