From Jonas Ike, Abuja
The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the N8.906 trillion Budget of the Federal Government of Nigeria submitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari on 19th December 2019.
This followed the consideration and approval of the Report of the House Committee on Appropriations on the budget bill which had earlier passed through second reading and was referred to the Committee for further inputs.
The budget is entitled: “A Bill for an Act to authorize the issue from the consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation the total sum of N8,906,974,099,373 out of which N502,058,093,965,113,092 is for Statutory Transfers, N2,254,014,1130092 is for Debt Service, N4,055,940,383,684 is for Recurrent Expenditure while N2,094950,632 billion is for Contribution to the Revenue Fund for Capital Expenditure for the year ending on 31st December 2109”.
With the passage, the Accountant-General of the Federation shall when authorized to do so by warrant signed by the Minister charged with the responsibility of paying out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation during the year ending on the 31st December 2019 the sum specified by the warrants, not exceeding the aggregate N8,906,964,099,373 for the fiscal year.
The budget heads under the item statutory Transfers are as follows: (a) National Judicial Council N110,000,000,000, (Nigeria Delta Development Commission (NDDC) N100,188,921,129, (Universal Basic Education N112,471,421,836), National Assembly, N4,398,550,000), Public Complaints Commission N45,500,000,000), INEC N45,500,000,000, National Human Rights Commission N1,5000,000,000.
Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations Hon. Mustapha Bala Dawaki who led the debate on the budget said the budget passed by the House is as presented by the Presidency.
Some key components of the budget christened Federal Executive Bodies are as follows: Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation N37,636, 406,824, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development N107,318,344,102, Federal Ministry of Finance N1,729,708,700, Federal Ministry of Industry,Trade a d Investment N63,112,112,113,708, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment N10,180,953,829 and Federal Ministry of Transportation N1179,384,331,427.
Others include Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing N39490,906,215,852, Ministry of Petroleum Resources N5,257,866,299, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development N9,891,135,562, Ministry of budget and National Planning N2,990103,008, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission N201,037,348, Fiscal Responsibilities Commission N111,306,657, Federal Ministry of Water Resources N92,1178,020,778 and Federal Ministry of Justice N2116,262,589.
There is a component of of N3 billion for Legislative Aides personnel emoluments N100 billion for the construction of houses under social intervention, payment of local contractors,, Debt/Other Liabilities N15,000,000,000, North-East Intervention Fund N45,000,000,000 and other components which sum is a total of N8.864 trillion that was passed by the House as the budget.
Other Federal Executive Bodies that got a chunk of the budget include the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Health and National Population Commission among others.
