FG plans supplementary budget for arms purchase, COVID-19 vaccines

By MUIDEEN OLANIYI

President Muhammadu Buhari is planning a supplementary budget for arms purchase and COVID-19 vaccines.

He discussed this with Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila when he met them at the State House in Abuja on Monday.

Daily Trust reports that no provision was made for the purchase in the 2021 Finance Bill adopted in December 2020.

Lawan told reporters both the executive and legislature believed that a supplementary budget should be provided to address the challenges posed by COVID-19 and insecurity.

On the kind of interventions being pursued to tackle security challenges, he said Nigerians should expect the approval of funds for the purchase of platforms, weapons and equipment.

“And that’s why we’re expecting our Tucsons to be here soon. We’re expecting some APCs from Jordan. We’re expecting some APCs from China. And we believe that we’ve not had enough, we still need to approve more resources for the purchase of weapons for our armed forces, because this is the number one priority of government or any government really, to secure the people, and of course later the welfare.”

He said the National Assembly planned to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill “by the end of April by the grace of God or latest should anything untoward happens before the middle of May.” (Daily Trust)