The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has appealed to the National Assembly to approve the N17bn appropriated for the FCT Administration in the 2024 budget.
Wike made the appeal when he appeared before the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on FCT, in Abuja on Friday.
He explained that N17.1bn was allocated to the FCT Administration, adding that the amount was allocated to complete abandoned projects and sustain the implementation of critical projects.
He said that of the amount, N5bn was allocated as a counterpart funding for the Greater Abuja Water Supply project and N4.5bn for the design and construction of Nigeria Cultural Centre and Millennium Tower.
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He also said that N3bn was allocated for the rehabilitation of the federal secretariat, while N4bn was allocated for the completion of the Vice President’s residence.
The minister added that N609.7m was budgeted for the settlement of residential and office accommodation for international organisations in the FCT.
“The money is just N17.1bn, so what can I say other than to say, please help us pass it,” the minister told the lawmakers.
On the performance of the 2023 budget, Wike said N15.5bn was appropriated for infrastructural development, adding however, that only N8bn was released representing 52 per cent.
Responding, the Chairman, Senate Committee on the FCT, Mr Ibrahim Bomai, acknowledged that all the projects were ongoing, adding that the funds would not be enough to complete the projects.
He pointed out that the FCT operates a dual budget – the national budget and the statutory budget, while expressing hope that the statutory budget might be in hundreds of billions of naira.
He, therefore, appealed to the members to give no objection considering the meager amount.
“If you have no objection, we will ask the minister to take a bow and go,” Bomai said.
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