House Suspends Consideration of N162bn Extra Fund for Fuel Subsidy

House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal has tactically stood down further consideration of the request by President Goodluck Jonathan for an additional N161,617,364,911 to fund the fuel subsidy scheme. He suspended debate on the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, through which the president is seeking legislative mandate for more cash for the subsidy scheme, following stiff opposition by some lawmakers.

Jonathan, had presented the Supplementary Appropriation Bill to the House and requested the lawmakers to give it an expedited passage. The bill, if passed, will bring the total fund the Federal Government will be earmarking for the fuel subsidy scheme this fiscal year to the N1 trillion mark. The National Assembly had earlier passed the provision of N888.1 billion contained in the 2012 budget for the payment of fuel subsidy.