The House of
Representatives has increased the N180bn virement sought for by President
Muhammadu Buhari to fund critical recurrent and capital items by N28bn, taking
it to N208.821bn. The president had written the National Assembly on Oct. 26,
seeking for the approval of the legislature to vire N180.8bn from the funds
appropriated for special intervention in the 2019 budget. The intervention is
to fund critical recurrent and capital items. The report of the House Committee
on Appropriation was presented to the House on Wednesday by its Chairman, Rep.
Mustapha Dawaki (APC- Kano). In the report was the request for the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (foreign missions), increased from N14bn to N16.34bn. Also,
increased was the request for statutory transfer (Public Complaints
Commission), which had been increased from N1.2bn to N2.5bn. All other
items were retained as requested. While presenting the report to be debated and
approved on Thursday, Dawaki disclosed that the committee, on Nov. 17 and Nov.
21, met with the relevant stakeholders and brainstormed on the proposal.He said
it was established that the affected MDAs justified the need for intervention
and approval of the virement for their respective agencies. He said, “The
committee observes that there are other areas of critical needs with potential
for development and stimulating the economy and for which additional funds
could be provided through virement from the Special Intervention Programme”
Details of the recommended proposal for approval showed that under Recurrent,
the Service Wide Vote: Public Service Wage Adjustment takes N71.80bn, Service
Wide Vote: Contingency N1.20bn. Similarly, Service Wide Vote: Margin for
increase in Cost N2bn, Ministry of Interior: Cadet feeding-Police Academy, Wudil,
Kano N932,4m, Service Wide Vote: Amnesty Programme N35billion. Also,Service
Wide Vote: Internal Operations of the Armed Forces N5.20bn, Service Wide Vote:
Operation Lafiya Dole N13.93billion, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development:
NYSC N19.79bn. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Foreign Missions N16.34bn, Federal
Ministry of Education: Augmentation of Meal Subsidy/Direct Teaching &
Laboratory Cost N900m. Also recommended for approval under Statutory Transfer
is Public Complaints Commission N2.5billion Source: Punch
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