The Military, Police, and the Department of State Security(DSS) will receive greater appropriation in the budget for 2022 so as to be able to effectively combat the myraid of security challenges confronting the nation.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan disclosed the information as he welcomed his colleagues back to work from their annual recess.
He said it has become necessary to ramp up more resources to the security agencies to enable them sustain the fight against terrorists, bandits, and other criminal elements in the North and other parts of the country.
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Lawan commended the gallantry of the Nigerian Armed Forces on their recent victories over insurgents and bandits and called on them to keep up with the campaign to ensure the criminal elements are completely flushed out.
“I want to urge them to sustain the campaigns until the insurgents and bandits are rooted out in our country.”
The senate had in July approved President Muhammadu Buhari’s supplementary budget request; an extra of over N800 billion to
the Security and Intelligence Agencies.
“While that provision was appropriate and indeed necessary, we should sustain the trajectory of increase in funds and resources to the security sector.
“Therefore, we should consider a ramp-up of more resources for our security agencies in the 2022 Appropriation.”
The President of the Senate however called on the Senate Committee on Defence and Intelligence-related Committees to intensify their oversight duties on relevant government agencies for effective utilization of monies allocated to them.
“Distinguished Colleagues, the fight against the security challenges in our country requires continued engagements between the National Assembly and the Executive arms of Government. It also requires continuous engagements with citizens, for the necessary and desired results to be achieved. We must therefore remain resolute and focused in achieving those. The National Assembly, indeed the Federal Government has no more serious challenges to tackle than insecurity today.”
This was as the National Assembly asked the various ministries, agencies, and departments of government to ensure they are ready to defend their budgets by October.
On Electoral Act 2021, Lawan disclosed that the National Assembly will set up a conference committee to harmonize the difference in the versions of the document passed by both chambers.
(Editor-Abaje Usekwe)
