Reps Throw Out N5bn Presidential Yacht From Supplementary Budget

*Increase Students’ Loan To N10bn The House of Representatives has yanked off the budgetary allocation of N5.09 billion for purchase of a presidential yacht in the N2.176trn supplementary budget submitted to the lawmakers. The House, instead, moved the proposed sum to students’ loan thereby increasing allocation for students’ loan to 10bn as against 5. 5bn earlier provided in the supplementary budget. The action of the lawmakers followed the public outcry that trailed the provision made a presidential yacht amidst the hardship Nigerians are facing following the removal of fuel subsidy and other policies by the current administration. Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abubakar Bichi Abubakar (APC, Kano) made this known while addressing newsmen after the passage of the N2.176 trillion supplementary budget. He said the need became necessary following low budgetary allocation for students. He said the committee also increased budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Defence from 476bn to 546bn following security concerns. Bichi also disclosed that the minimum wage for workers was considered and approved for onward transmission to the executive while promising proper legislative oversight to ensure 100 percent implementation. In the supplementary budget sent to the National Assembly by the president, the federal government allocated N5.09 billion to purchase a presidential yacht. The proposed sum was under the capital expenditure of the Nigerian Navy’s budget. According to the breakdown, the Navy will require N62.8 billion for its operations, with recurrent expenditure and capital expenditure gulping N20.4 billion and N42.3 billion, respectively. But Bichi said the five billion naira for the presidential yacht has been yanked off from the budget. On the presidential yacht, Bichi said, “Actually, as far as we are concerned, we don’t have that anymore. We have increased the student loan. Initially, the student loan was N5bn in the budget but we have increased it to N5bn so that our students can access that facility in order for them to go to school. We don’t have the yacht anymore in budget.

Gov Otu Presents N250bn 2024 Budget For Cross River

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River on Thursday presented a budget of N250 billion for 2024 to the state House of Assembly for approval. Presenting the budget titled: “The Peoples First Budget’’, Otu said that the figure was made up of N154billion capital expenditure and N96billion recurrent expenditure. He said that the budget was aligned with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) goal 11, which focused on zero hunger, goal 111 which focused on good health and wellbeing and goal 1V which focused on quality education. “The 2023 budget of quantum infinitum which my administration inherited sought to transform as well as empower citizens through wealth creation and employment generation, improvement of educational standard, access to healthcare among others. “So, we intend to consolidate on the gains made by my predecessor as well as deliver quality service to our people. “For the 2024 fiscal year, the government is expecting N133 billion from the Federal Allocation Account (FAAC) while independent revenue is estimated at N35 billion,” he said. Otu said that the budget would priotise agriculture, education, healthcare delivery, environment, infrastructure, youth and sports development, security, tourism and general administration. The governor said as a newly elected governor, he would continue from where the previous administration stopped by continuing with some of priority projects while adding some innovative ones. “The 2023 budget of quantum infinitum which my administration inherited sought to transform as well as empower citizens through wealth creation and employment generation, improvement of educational standard, access to healthcare among others. “So, we intend to consolidate on the gains made by my predecessor as well as deliver quality service to our people. “For the 2024 fiscal year, the government is expecting N133 billion from the Federal Allocation Account (FAAC) while independent revenue is estimated at N35 billion,” he said.

Lawmakers To Take Delivery Of N130m Worth Prado SUVs

The House of Representatives has confirmed that the National Assembly is in the process of procuring and distributing utility Prado jeeps, worth N130 million to lawmakers. Rep. Rotimi Akin, the Spokesperson of the House of Reps said this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday night, coming at a time Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship. Akin said the initiative aligned with existing procurement laws, adding that it was a customary practice in previous assemblies. He said the distribution concerned vehicles tied to lawmakers’ oversight functions in the discharge of their duties within the standing committees, and they are not personal gifts. “For the duration of the 10th assembly, spanning from 2023 to 2027, these vehicles will remain the property of the National Assembly. “However, should the government’s extant assets deboarding policy still be in place at the end of the assembly’s tenure in 2027, lawmakers may have the option to purchase the vehicles before they become their property.” He emphasised the importance of the vehicles in enhancing the performance of lawmakers’ duties, especially when it comes to oversight functions in various regions of the country. Akin said the aimed was to ensure that government interventions, programmes, and policies were effectively carried out, no matter where Nigerian citizens reside. He highlighted the percentage of the legislature’s budget as part of the national budget which had steadily decreased over the past decade, currently standing at 0.5 per cent of the federal budget. He urged stakeholders to focus on reducing costs in the right areas while supporting lawmakers in their efforts to fulfill their duties effectively and with integrity. He said the vehicles were work tools and not status symbols, intended to facilitate improved representation, constituency outreach, and oversight functions by elected representatives.

Reps frown at N81.2bn spent by Green Wall Agency to plant trees

*Expresses displeasure over conflicting financial reports by CBN, OAGF The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the utilisation of ecological funds released to the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) has uncovered N81.2 billion allegedly spent to plant 21m trees in 11 states. The investigation is from 2015 till date. Hon.  Isma’ila Dabo, the Chairman of the Committee in Abuja, decried the persistent of environmental challenges in spite of funds put into the programme. He said the funds put by the Federal Government and international partners necessitated the investigation. He said the committee would embark on, on-the-spot assessment tour to all the projects executed under this scheme to ascertain the claims. He said the committee was not out to scandalise any individual or organisation but only to ensure that public funds were utilised for the purpose they were given. “We will not shy away from pointing fingers where necessary, not out of personal animosity but simply in the national interest of our nation.” The 11 states where the trees are planted are: Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno. The committee expressed displeasure over conflicting financial reports submitted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) to the committee. Piqued by the inability of the agency to substantiate most of the tree planting projects carried out so far, the committee said 80 per cent of trees planted by the agency did not survive. Meanwhile, the documents submitted by the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein showed that the total sum of N19.378 billion was released from the derivation and Ecology Accounts to the agency from Feb 2019 to date. Responding to questions from the committee, NAGGW Managing Director, Dr Yusuf Bukar, said the Great Green Wall Act was signed by Mr. President in 2015. He said it enabled the agency to implement the Nigerian component of the programme as an initiative of the African Union being implemented in 11 African countries. This according to him, is to address the problem of land degradation, desertification, drought, climate change and livelihood of affected communities. He saud the agency planted 1 million trees in Borno, Yobe and other states, adding that N2.4 billion was released in the first phase and N7.3 billion released in the second phase. He added that the fund accruing into the agency’s account included 15 per cent of the ecological fund for the Great Green Wall, contribution of fund from the natural resources development fund and gifts. Others include loans and grants in aid from national bilateral, multilateral organisations and donors, international and development agencies as well as individuals. He said that the agency often got funds from donor agencies; however, he did not provide relevant documents on the amount received so far.