The Senate Committee on Gas has urged President Bola Tinubu to submit a supplementary budget for the acquisition of compressed natural gas (CNG) buses for nationwide mass transit.
In a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the federal government and organized labor, N100 billion was allocated for these buses, aimed at averting an impending indefinite strike by labor unions.
Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, the Chair of the Senate Gas Committee, released a statement affirming that it would be illegal for the president to proceed with the CNG bus procurement without seeking approval from the National Assembly.
Jarigbe also commended the president for the initiative, recognizing its potential to alleviate the hardships faced by citizens.
“The law frowns at extra budgetary spending,” the chair said.
“It will be illegal to spend taxpayers money without approval by the national assembly.”
He added that it would be appropriate for the federal government to raise the funds through a supplementary budget and not “ways and means”, a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) provision.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had planned a strike to protest economic challenges and the removal of fuel subsidy.