Just as the National Assembly (NASS) had billed to pass the 2023 budget on Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, transmitted a supplementary 2023 Appropriation Bill of N819,536,937,813 to be added to his original budget proposal which was presented to NASS on October 7, 2022.
Buhari also launched a new national monitoring and evaluation platform. resulting
The proposed Revenue and Expenditure budgets for 2023 are ₦9.73 trillion and ₦20.51 trillion, respectively, resulting in ₦10.78 trillion fiscal deficit, representing 4.78% of GDP.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila read out the content of the cover letter on the bill to members on Wednesday.
President Buhari in the letter said the additional demand for N819,536,937,813 for next year was due to the devastation caused by floods on farmlands and road infrastructure.
“Nigeria witnessed the worst flood incidents in recent history, which has caused massive destruction of farmlands,” stressing that the country now risks food insecurity.
According to him, the floods affected “several roads and bridges” across the 36 states of the federation.
Meanwhile President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, launched the National Monitoring and Evaluation platform, named the “EYEMARK”.
The President launched the project monitoring website (www.eyemark.ng) with its accompanying mobile app shortly before the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the council chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He noted that the Federal government could no longer depend on its handful of Monitoring and Evaluation teams to oversee the vast number of infrastructure projects spread nationwide.
President Buhari said that given that his regime had invested in infrastructure projects more than any other before, it was only fitting to create adequate avenues for close monitoring by citizens.
According to him, the platform would close the existing gaps and promote citizens’ participation in governance, blaming the spate of corruption on the poor implementation of infrastructure projects across the country.
