The senate has rejected the proposed N8.27 trillion estimates for recurrent expenditure in the 2023 budget, presented by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The lawmakers during consideration of the 2023 appropriation bill for second reading, say despite ban on recruitment since 2018 when recurrent expenditure was pegged at N 3.5 Trillion, recurrent spending has continuously been on increase
Senator Ali Ndume (APC Borno South ) in his contribution during the debate lamented that the federal government placed ban on employment, when recurrent expenditure was 3.5 trillion 2018, In 2019 the recurrent moved to 4.7 trillion and further increased in 2020 to 4.8 trillion.
Ndume stated that despite several workers retiring from service and continuous ban on federal employment, recurrent expenditure further rose from 4.8 trillion in 2020 to 5.9 trillion in 2021, 6.9 trillion in 2022 and 8.27 trillion in 2023.
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He says this astronomical rise is still being witnessed despite the covid -19 pandemic disruptions that led to several workers from grade level 12 -1, working from home.
He says its unacceptable for recurrent to consume about 43 percent of the total budget and higher than capital expenditure of N5 trillion.
Also, in his contribution, senator Tolulope Odebiyi(APC Ogun west) lamented that there is a 300 percent increase in the budget size since 2015, adding that despite the increase, there are lots of challenges and little or no impact of the huge funds since 2015.
Editor: Ena Agbanoma
