Wike Defends #61.6bn Supplementary Budget

By Remi Johnson

Going by the numerous capital intensive projects being initiated by the Wike led Administration, a #61.6 billion naira supplementary budget, to speed up completion of ongoing projects in Abuja, has been presented before the National Assembly.

Presenting the supplementary budget, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike said the money would be injected into the rail project, road rehabilitation, Mass transportation services among others.

According to the Minister, concerted efforts are under-way to ensure that access roads to the rail stations are constructed towards achieving the target of commissioning Abuja’s Metro Line by May 2024, and the completion of the 135 ongoing road resurfacing projects, as part of activities to mark President Tinubu’s one year in office.

He explained that the supplementary budget was drawn from additional inflows received from the “Paris Club Refund, Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Tax Liabilities, Special Intervention Funds, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), Infrastructure Support Fund, leading to a revised budget of N641.3 billion as against the N579.7 billion earlier budgeted for 2023 financial year.”

Mr Wike further sought approval to be permitted to make an initial bulk payment of 9 billion naira to fast- track the abandoned multi- billion naira Millennium Tower project, and subsequently inject 3billion naira into the project on a monthly basis.

He expressed concern over the slow pace of execution of the Millennium Tower project whose initial contract sum was #61bn and over #40bn paid, but had to be reviewed to the tune of #72bn due to inflation on the cost of goods and services.

In a related development, Wike who noted that the Vice President’s residence, with initial contract sum of #7bn, was recently reviewed to #15bn due to lack of strategic plan on how to adequately fund the project

According to him, infrastructure development would continue to suffer setback if the FCT Administration continue to rely on the annual bugetary allocation.

The Minister, while assuring that no project listed for completion will be abandoned, appealed to members of the red and green chambers to support the FCT Administration under his leadership, to enable him effect the needed change that will make FCT a Capital City all Nigerians will be proud of.

He expressed optimism that the Internal Generated Revenue of FCTA would be boosted through the payment of ground rents, recertification of C of Os, where an individual is expected to pay #50, 000 and corporate bodies #100, 000.

“All C of Os will be recertified and you will put your NIN. In FCT, there is a lot of fake C of Os but with this new development, we will end that and we can know people who own each structure.”

On security, the minister said the Administration would revive the city’s mass transit system to eliminate cases of “one chance”.

Wike also said he was working with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the State Security Services, SSS with regards to providing Closed Circuit Television CCTV cameras in strategic parts of the city.

The Chairman Senate Committee on FCT, Mr Ibrahim Bomai, lauded the minister’s initiative to complete ongoing projects.

On his part, Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Mr Muktar Betara who commended Wike’s vision and zeal to transform the territory, however urged him to review the flat rate fees for obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy, pointing out that it will be unfair to make satellite towns residents pay the same amount with highbrow areas like Asokoro and Maitama .

Other projecsts to benefit from the supplementary budget include remedial work in phase I and II, completion of road B6, B12 and Circle Road in Abuja Central Area, development of arterial road N20, from Northern Parkway to Outer Northern Expressway and construction of Southern Parkway from Christian Centre to Ring Road.

Also, projects to benefit from the supplementary budget are rehabilitation and expansion of Outer Southern Expressway from Villa Roundabout to Osex/Ring Road I Junction, four interchanges, provision of access road to Kabusa Garden Estate as well as rehabilitation of National Christian Centre and the National Mosque.

Edited By Grace Namiji