National Assembly Allocates N20 Billion to Aides, N4 Billion to Recreation Center in 2024 Budget

On Saturday, the upper and lower legislative chambers greenlit the 2024 appropriation bill, surpassing the initial proposal of N27.5 trillion by President Bola Tinubu to reach a final budget of N28.7 trillion.

This increase of N1.2 trillion came after thorough deliberations and report presentations by the appropriations committee chairs, Solomon Olamilekan in the Senate, and Abubakar Bichi in the House of Representatives. The 2024 appropriation bill successfully passed its third reading in both chambers.

Diving into the details of the approved budget for the National Assembly reveals a diverse range of allocations. Noteworthy allocations include N3 billion for library books, a N12 billion take-off grant for the library complex, and a significant N4 billion earmarked for the construction of a recreational center.

The National Assembly Hospital project secured a substantial N15 billion, while N20.39 billion was dedicated to legislative aides. Additionally, N6 billion was allocated for car parks in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Here is a breakdown of the key line items in the National Assembly budget for 2024:

House of Representatives: N78.62 billion

Senate: N49.14 billion

National Assembly Office: N36.727 billion

General Services: N30.81 billion

Legislative Aides: N20.39 billion

Service Wide Vote: N15.19 billion

National Assembly Hospital Project: N15 billion

National Assembly Service Commission: N12.33 billion

National Assembly Library Complex (Take-off Grant): N12.12 billion

Construction of NASC Headquarters (Ongoing): N10 billion

And the list continues with various allocations covering infrastructure upgrades, committee meeting rooms, a modern printing press, alternative power supply, and addressing liabilities, among other critical initiatives.