TheCable

Senate President Ahmad Lawan says the 2022 appropriation bill will be transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent next week.

The 2022 appropriation bill of N17.13 trillion was passed by the house of representatives and senate on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Speaking on Friday after a visit to Buhari at his residence in the presidential villa, the senate president said he was invited alongside Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives.

According to him, the president invited them to commend the national assembly for their efforts on passing the appropriation bill.

“We’re very optimistic. In fact, we’re very sure that Mr President will sign the bill into an act of the national assembly next week by the grace of God,” he said.

“And this is the way we should always work together. This is our third appropriation bill to be passed before we go on Christmas break.

“It has shown how important the passage and the assent to the budget before the end of the year has been. You will recall that we were in two or three different recessions. But public expenditure, which normally drives our economy as a developing economy, has always brought that advantage, made the availability of funds into the economy, and we can come out of the recess periods.

“So, I want to thank Mr President for thanking the national assembly, because this is essentially the reason he invited the speaker and me to say that ‘national assembly, thank you very much for working with us, for making this budget 2022 pass in good time as you did for 2020 and 2021’.”