The Senate issued a warning to President Bola Tinubu regarding potential illegal spending. They strongly advised him to pursue a supplementary budget for the implementation of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative.

This call came from the Senate’s Committee on Gas, led by Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe.

The Senate committee emphasized the need for the executive branch to promptly present a 2023 Supplementary Budget to the National Assembly to initiate the Compressed Natural Gas project.

This request surfaced just 48 hours after President Tinubu unveiled measures aimed at mitigating the impact of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.

Senators pointed out that extra-budgetary spending would be in violation of existing legislation.

While the committee praised Tinubu for the CNG initiative and its potential to alleviate citizens’ hardships, they cautioned against using taxpayers’ money or funds without proper approval from the National Assembly for this project and other aspects of the gas value chain.

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Furthermore, the Senate advised against resorting to “Ways and Means” for extra-budgetary expenditure, expressing its readiness to support and provide relief to the public. Senator Jarigbe highlighted the importance of funding the gas value chain, including CNG infrastructure and vehicles, as well as the necessary workshops and training for CNG adoption.

Senator Jarigbe stressed that embarking on extra-budgetary expenditure would be inconsistent with legal provisions.

He emphasized the Senate’s commitment to supporting President Tinubu’s ambitious initiatives, suggesting that a 2023 supplementary budget would be the most appropriate approach, rather than relying on “Ways and Means” as practiced by the previous administration.

In his Independence Day speech, President Tinubu assured Nigerians of efforts to alleviate their hardships.

He unveiled plans for the deployment of more affordable and safer CNG buses across the nation, which are expected to operate at significantly lower fuel prices, positively impacting transportation fares.

The President mentioned the establishment of training facilities and workshops to empower transport operators and entrepreneurs.