Reps increase virement to N208bn for President

The House of Representatives has increased the N180 billion virement sought for by President Muhammadu Buhari to fund critical recurrent and capital items by N28 billion, taking it to N208.821 billion.

The president had written the National Assembly on Oct. 26, seeking for the approval of the legislature to vire N180.8 billion 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 N14billion to N16.34 billion.

Also, increased was the request for statutory transfer (Public Complaints Commission), which had been increased from N1.2 billion to N2.5 billion. 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.

“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," he added.

Details of the recommended proposal for approval showed that under Recurrent, the Service Wide Vote: Public Service Wage Adjustment (PSWA) takes N71.80billion, Service Wide Vote: Contingency N1.20billion.

Similarly, Service Wide Vote: Margin for increase in Cost (MIC) N2billion, Ministry of Interior: Cadet feeding-Police Academy, Wudil, Kano N932,40million, Service Wide Vote: Amnesty Programme N35billion.

Also,Service Wide Vote: Internal Operations of the Armed Forces N5.20billion, Service Wide Vote: Operation Lafiya Dole N13.93billion, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development: NYSCN19.79billion.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Foreign Missions N16.34billion, Federal Ministry of Education: Augmentation of Meal Subsidy/Direct Teaching & Laboratory Cost N900million.

Also recommended for approval under Statutory Transfer is Public Complaints Commission N2.5billion.

Under Capital items, the Ministry of Defence: Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is allocated N12.70billion, Capital Supplementation: Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) N1.50billion, Payment of local Contractors Debts/Other Liabilities N25billion.

The total amount of amount to be vired is now N208.82billion, which is N28 billion higher than the N180.8 billion requested for by the president.

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The committee also recommended that the sum of N300 million appropriated in the 2016 budget under the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for the construction of 132 KVA Substation at Gwaram, Jigawa be vired for the Reconstruction of Fallen Towers, Replacement of Glass Insulators, for Gagarawa, Jigawa (TCN01B021775).

When the motion for the laying of the report, which was seconded by Rep. Saheed Fijabi (APC-Oyo) was tabled, it received unanimous approval from the plenary presided over by Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.