The National Assembly has accepted a proposal to raise the budget for the president’s Meet the People trip from D10 million to D30 million after a contentious vote on Wednesday.

Sulayman Saho, the NAM for Central Baddibu, made a resolution to set the tour budget at D15 million in order to prevent insensitive spending and assist reduce the budget deficit when the committee of supply stages were convened to discuss the budget.
The majority of MPs opposed his move, claiming that the trip is required by the constitution and that cutting its funding would prevent the president from carrying out his duties. This caused controversy.

The Speaker then suggested that members cast votes to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed with the plan to cut it to D15 million.

Twenty-six members voted against the cut, keeping the budget at D30 million in the 2024 budget as requested by the government. Fifteen members, mostly opposition NAMs, supported the move to lower the budget.