2018 BUDGET: NASS raised own budget by N14.5bn, cut budgets for ‘critical projects’ —Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says the National Assembly added a sum of N14.5 billion to its budget upon passage, even as it cut budgetary provision for some critical projects.

Buhari said the lawmakers introduced some projects which were not part of the 2018 budget proposals.

The President made the disclosure on Wednesday while delivering his speech during the signing into law of the 2018 Appropriation Bill at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to him, the National Assembly increased its budget by N14.5 billion, from N125 billion to N139.5 billion without any discussion with the Executive.

In May, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje, had said the upward review was done with “due consultation of the executive.”

Buhari said most of the increases were recurrent expenditure, adding that it was done at a time government was trying to keep down the cost of governance.

He said despite the observations, he decided to sign the 2018 Budget in order not to further slowdown the pace of recovery of the economy, saying it has doubtlessly been affected by the delay in passing the budget.

Read Also: Buhari signs 2018 budget, 6 months into the year

According to Buhari, “The National Assembly made cuts amounting to 347 billion Naira in the allocations to 4,700 projects submitted to them for consideration and introduced 6,403 projects of their own amounting to 578 billion Naira.

“Many of the projects cut are critical and may be difficult, if not impossible, to implement with the reduced allocation. Some of the new projects inserted by the National Assembly have not been properly conceptualized, designed and costed and will therefore be difficult to execute.

“The provisions for some nationally/regionally strategic infrastructure projects were cut by an aggregate of 11.5 billion Naira. Provisions for some ongoing critical infrastructure projects in the FCT, Abuja especially major arterial roads and the mass transit rail project, were cut by a total of 7.5 billion Naira.

“The provision for Rehabilitation and Additional Security Measures for the United Nations Building by the FCT, Abuja was cut by 3.9 billion Naira from 4 billion Naira to 100 million Naira; this will make it impossible for the Federal Government of Nigeria to fulfill its commitment to the United Nations on this project.

“The provisions for various Strategic Interventions in the health sector were cut by an aggregate amount of 7.45 billion Naira.

“The provision for security infrastructure in the 104 Unity Schools across the country were cut by 3 billion Naira at a time when securing our students against acts of terrorism ought to be a major concern of government.

“The provision for the Federal Government’s National Housing Programme was cut by 8.7 billion Naira.

“At a time when we are working with Labour to address compensation-related issues, a total of 5 billion Naira was cut from the provisions for Pension Redemption Fund and Public Service Wage Adjustment.

“The provisions for Export Expansion Grant (EEG) and Special Economic Zones/Industrial Parks were cut by a total of 14.5 billion Naira.

“The provision for Construction of the Terminal Building at Enugu Airport was cut from 2 billion Naira to 500 million Naira which will further delay the completion of this critical project.

“The Take-off Grant for the Maritime University in Delta State, a key strategic initiative of the Federal Government, was cut from 5 billion Naira to 3.4 billion Naira,” he said.

The President said about seventy new road projects have been inserted into the budget of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

“In doing so, the National Assembly applied some of the additional funds expected from the upward review of the oil price benchmark to the Ministry’s vote. Regrettably, however, in order to make provision for some of the new roads, the amounts allocated to some strategic major roads have been cut by the National Assembly,” Buhari added.

 

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