Tinubu seeks National Assembly approval for N500bn palliative

President Bola Tinubu has written to the National Assembly seeking amendment to the 2022 supplementary appropriation Act to enable the federal government source N500 billion as palliative to cushion the effect of subsidy removal.

The president’s request was contained in a letter read by Tajudeen Abbas, the speaker of the House of Representatives on the floor of the House during Wednesday’s plenary.

According to the letter, the money will be sourced from the 2022 supplementary Appropriation Act of N819. 5 billion.

The letter titled “Request for the amendment of the 2022 appropriation act” partly read: “I write to request the approval of the House of Representatives an amendment of the 2022 appropriation act in accordance with the law.

“The request has become necessary in order to source for funds to provide necessary palliatives to cushion the effect of the recent removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria.

“The sum of N500 billion only has been extracted from the 2022 appropriation act of N819.536 for the provision of palliatives to Nigerians to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.”

President Tinubu urged the lawmakers to give his request “expeditious” consideration and approval to enable his administration to provide palliative for Nigerians.

Responding to the letter, the Speaker said the House would begin consideration of the president’s request at plenary the following day (Thursday) and  asked members willing to make contributions to be prepared to do so.