Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has told the National Assembly to approve the N17 billion appropriated for the FCT Administration in the N27.5 trillion 2024 proposed national budget.
Wike made the appeal when he appeared before the joint session of the Senate and House Committees on FCT in Abuja yesterday.
He explained that the N17.1 billion allocated to the FCT Administration was to complete abandoned projects to sustain the implementation of critical projects.
He said of the amount, N5 billion was allocated as a counterpart fund for the Greater Abuja Water Supply project and N4.5 billion for the design and construction of Nigeria Cultural Centre and Millennium Tower.
He also said N3 billion was allocated for the rehabilitation of the Federal Secretariat, while N4 billion was allocated for the completion of the vice president’s residence.
The minister added that N609.7 million is for settlement of residential and office accommodation for international organisations in FCT.
“The money is just N17.1 billion, so what can I say other than to say, please help us pass it,” the minister said.
On the performance of the 2023 budget, Wike said N15.5 billion was appropriated for infrastructure development, adding however, that only N8 billion was released, representing 52 per cent.
Responding, the chairman, Senate Committee on FCT, Mr Ibrahim Bomai, acknowledged that all the projects were ongoing, adding that the fund 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 and expressed hope that the statutory budget might be in hundreds of billions.
He, therefore, appealed to the members of the joint session not to object, 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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