 The Nigerian Senate has commenced debate on the general principles of the 2024 Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly. President Balatino Buu had on Wednesday presented a budget of 27.50 trillion Naira to a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives for consideration and passage. Crescend budget of renewed hope. The 2024 Fiscal Document is planned to address critical issues and to grow the country's economy and its security wars. On Thursday, the first of two days, set aside for deliberations on the second reading of the Appropriation Bill, the senators for hours discussed the modalities of the budget. Leading debates on general principles of the budget, Senate Majority Leader Okwemi Bami Dele said the proposal is extended to further place the country's economy on the path of inclusive and sustainable economic development. It is important, above all, to know that this is a budget of renewed hope which seeks to achieve job-rich economic growth, macroeconomic stability, a better investment environment, enhance human capital development, as well as poverty reduction and greater access to social security. Finally, Mr. President, my highly respected and distinguished colleagues, I believe that all the proposals in this 2024 Appropriation Bill are laudable and will enhance the critical needs of the citizens of this country. The debates had senators drowning their attention of the executive to certain areas that needed some tweaking to enhance the economy growth. I want to emphasize on the fact that how do we fund this? The bitumen global market is worth 47 billion dollars. Only nine countries are participating. Mr. President, Nigeria by geophysical data of the World Bank is the second largest depositor of bitumen in the world. In those states alone, 47 billion dollar bitumen is deposited there. So establishing the Bitumen Development Commission will help us to fund the budget accurately, not now, even between now and future. But the top of it, I would like to have the House know that I look forward to interacting with the Honorable Minister of Steel to know how much of this, of the 30 percent of 27 trillion, 27.5 trillion, how much of it is able to put, have captured the rehabilitation again of Ajakuta Steel Company and the Niamco iron ore plant. When we were dancing about the PIA, we thought that after signing of the PIA, Nigerian oil and gas sector will become rosy. But since the implementation of the PIA, bigger problems started. Companies started to leave the country. Even as of today, more international companies are leaving. We have to look at the PIA, especially the fiscal and the regulatory part of it. The upper chamber continues the liberation on the 2024 Appropriation Bill tomorrow Friday. Having exhausted all the items on the other paper, we, the descendants of the Niamco iron ore plant is hereby adjourned to Friday, the first day of December 2023 at 10 a.m.