……Approve a total Sum of 2.177trn for Tinubu
By Augustine Aminu
The House of Representatives on Thursday scrapped the budgetary allocation of the presidential Yatch and proposed additional sum of N5 billion to student loan thereby increasing allocation for student loan to 10bn as against 5. 5bn
This was just as the House passed the total sum of 2.177 trillion 2023 supplementary sent by President Ahmed Tinubu through third reading .
The Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee Abubakar Bichi Abubakar who made this known on while addressing newsmen said the need became necessary following low budgetary allocation for students .
The Committee also increased budgetary allocation of 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
The sum of 100bn was retained for FCT as requested by the minister of FCt Nyesom Wike
“Today, our Committee has submitted our report, and the house after careful consideration, the house has approved our submission sand the breakdown is as follows.
“As you know, the budget is about N2.177 trillion and Ministry of Defence is having N456 billion but currently they have the largest share because we know how important our security is. And as you are aware we has interaction with them yesterday. And they requested additional funding so that they can continue their work.
“So, we have increased their budget from N456 to N546,209,009,671.
“Then police formation and command we gave them N50 billion while the FCT has about N100 billion. You know FCT is very important to us because we want to make sure FCT can compete with any city in the world, that’s why we decided to give N100 billion.
“Office of the National Security, we know how important that office is, their initially was N27 billion but currently we have increased their budget to N50 billion.
“While the State House, their initial budget was N28 billion and we still maintain their figure at N28 billion as well.
Ministry of Agric, you know how important that ministry is, you are talking about food security, and of course it’s very critical and important to our people across the nation.
“So, we have maintained their initial figure of N200 billion as well.
“While Ministry of Housing, you know how serious the housing deficit in this country, and in Mr. President’s agenda, he wants to build as many houses as he can. So, we have approved N100 billion for ministry of housing.
“Service Wide Vote, initially it was N615 billion but currently, we’ve reduced it from N615 to N515 billion as well.
“For INEC, initially their request was N18 billion, yesterday we had engagement with INEC Chairman as you’re all aware. And we have maintained the N18 billion as well.
“So far, we have approved N2,176,791,286,033 only.
“So, this is what we are able to do today and will continue to do as much as we can to support Nigeria, to support the government so that our people can see the importance of this democracy.
While responding to question on the provision for purchase of yatch as captured under the Nigerian Navy subheads, Hon. Abubakar Bichi said: “as far as we are concerned we don’t have that Presidential Yacth any more.
“We have increased the Student Loan. If you can recall, the student loan was N5 billion in the budget, but now we have increased it from N5 to N10 billion, so that our Students can be able to access that facility in order for them to be able to go to school and to be able to afford them. Actually, we don’t have Yacth anymore.”
To this end the House passed the sum of 2.177 trillion