House Committee On Appropriation Begins Budget Defence

By Oduyemi Odumade

Following President Tinubu’s transmission of N2.177 trillion naira Supplementary Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly, the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation has began its budget defence with agencies of government.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr Abubakar Bichi, said the Bill has been specifically structured to improve the country’s security, food security, critical road infrastructure and to bridge the housing deficit in the country, including slum upgrades and urban renewal.

He stated that It would also support the provisional wage of workers and cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians, as well as cater to the upcoming off-cycle elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States.

According to him, out of the sum of 476,543,847,421 proposed for Ministry of Defence, the sum of N215,937,945,659 is for recurrent expenditure while the sum of N260,605,901,762 is for capital expenditure.

Out of total sum of N200 billion proposed for Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the sum of N104.800 billion is for recurrent expenditure while the sum of N95.200 billion is for capital expenditure.

From the sum of N50 billion proposed for Police Formations and Commands, the sum of N29,661,660,269 is for recurrent expenditure while the sum of N20,338,339,731 is for capital expenditure.

Out of the total sum of N29,700,606,916 proposed for office of the National Security Adviser, the sum of N27,402,410,057 is for recurrent expenditure while the sum of N2,298,196,859 is for capital expenditure.

The sum of N100 billion was also proposed for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCT); N49,046,831,697 is for Department of State Services (DSS); N28 billion is for State House; N300 billion is for Federal Ministry of Works; N100 billion is for Federal Ministry of Housing; N615 billion is for Service Wide Vote; N210.500 is for Capital supplementation; while the sum of N18 billion is for Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).

Five ministers, all the service chiefs, the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Director General of the State Services were at the defense.

On his part, the minister of Works, Mr. Dave Umahi, said the budget will go into fixing of Nigerian roads to avoid accidents, kidnappings and other road menace.

Also speaking, The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, said three point four billion naira has been earmarked for security vehicles to help curb the incessant menace of one chance in the nation’s capital.

Also, the Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, who described insecurity, climatic changes and desertification as big challenges to farmlands, stressed the need for the subsidization of fertilizers which he said are beyond the reach of poor farmers at the moment.

The Security Chiefs as well as the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, also appeared to defend their budgets, but their defence was behind closed doors for security reasons.

Edited By Grace Namiji