The National Assembly is set to tackle the N11.03 trillion deficit proposed for the N19.76 trillion 2023 budget through the amendment of some relevant sections of the Finance Act.
The chairman, Senate Committee on General Services, Sani Musa said the amendment of the Finance Act by the National Assembly aim to double or triple the targets earlier set for the various revenue generating agencies targets towards reducing the size of the proposed budget deficit.
“The budget of this country has been in deficit and the only thing we can do is to amend so many things in the Finance Act, so that we can generate more revenues from other sources rather than depending on oil alone and, by extension , reduce the size of the proposed budget deficit.
Commenting on the general renovation work going on at the National Assembly, Senator Musa said it was an overdue project and very necessary in making the National Assembly, particularly the Hallowed Chambers, meet global standards.
The Senate had through its committee on Finance during the interface with the minister of Finance , Budget and National Planning , Mrs Zainab Ahmed , kicked against the proposed N11.03 trillion deficit in the proposed N19.76 trillion 2023 budget.
Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Lagos West), who chairs the committee, told heads of revenue generating agencies at different times to think out of the box in raising more revenues for the country in the coming fiscal year, for the purposes of reducing prosed deficit size and loan collections for budget financing.