Buhari transmits N895bn supplementary budget to National Assembly

President Muhammadu Buhari has transmitted a supplementary budget of N895 billion to the National Assembly for consideration.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja after a closed-door screening of Chief of Army Staff, Major General Farouk Yahaya.

• Kaduna polytechnic students, staff vacate school after bandits’ attack
• JUST IN: Buhari for NTA interview Friday evening

The Federal Executive Council, on Wednesday, approved the draft 2021 supplementary budget of N895,842,462,917 for the purchase of military equipment and COVID-19 vaccines.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, told reporters that the draft contained N770.60bn to further enhance the capacity of the defence and the security agencies to address current and emerging security challenges in Nigeria; while N83.56bn was set aside for COVID-19 vaccine programme, covering 30 million vaccines from Johnson and Johnson and the logistics costs related to the deployment of the vaccines.

Senator Ndume said: “The President had promised us that he will rejig security architecture which he has done.

“The supplementary budget is before us and we will give it speedy consideration. What we have discussed is in camera.”

Speaking after the confirmation hearing, the Chief Army Staff assured that the Nigerian Army will continue to do its best to tackle security issues in the country.