Adedokun Waliyu 
Barely a week after President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2023 annual budget to the joint session of the lawmakers, the budget of N20.507 trillion scaled second reading in the House of Representatives after debate on the general principles.
It was immediately referred to the Committee on Appropriation for further legislative work.
The plenary of the House was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, in the absence of the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Wase told members that the House would hasten work on the budget by passing it early in order to stick to the January-December budget cycle.
The total budget estimate is N20,507,942,180,704.
The breakdown includes N744.109 billion for Statutory Transfers; N6.557tn for Debt Service; N8.271tn for Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure; while N4.934tn is for contribution to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure for the year ending December 31, 2023
In line with parliamentary tradition, all standing committees of the House will serve as sub-committees to the Committee on Appropriation for the defence of the provisions of the budget.
