SPENDING SPREE: Patience Jonathan's House To Swallow N4 Billion?

* Two gates to gulp N7 Billion

* N3 billion to Clean Abuja

* N150 Million to renovate Sambo’s Asokoro Guest House

A sum of N4bn has been earmarked in the 2013 budget of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the construction of a pet project of Dame Patience Jonathan named First Ladies Mission Building.

Also N5bn would be spent for the rehabilitation of prostitutes, destitute as well as other social menance in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

These are contained in the 2013 budget proposal of the FCT which scaled second reading at the Senate.

Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma- Egba who presented the FCT Statutory Appropriation Bill, 2013 said that the total Statutory budget stands at N253,199,752,409, with N48,034,818,410 voted for Personnel costs;
N49,504,534,358 for Overhead Costs and the balance of N155,660, 399,641 is for Capital Projects for the service of the Federal Capital Territory commencing from 1st January and ending on 31st December, 2013.

In further breakdown, the budget provides N150m for the renovation of the Vice President Namadi Sambo’s Guest House in Asokoro, Abuja.

Other provisions in the budget include; N7.5 billion for the construction of two city gates while the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB would get N5.7 billion for procurement of equipment and other essentials.
The sum of N2.9 billion would be spent on sweeping streets and other sanitation issues for the city.

Sen. Ndoma-Egba  added that N7.5 billion will be spent in 2013 by the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, AMMC where the Departments of Development Control, Parks and Recreation, Facility Management and Urban Affairs belong.

Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba said, “the sum of N4 billion is proposed for the construction of First Ladies Mission Building. Also, the sum of
N150 million is set aside for the renovation of Vice President’s Guest House in Asokoro.

“The sum of N50.5 billion is proposed for the development of transport sector. Out of this amount, there is a Chinese loan of N44.5 billion for the construction of Abuja 60.37 standard gauge rail track with ancillary facilities.

“The secretariat is saddled with the responsibility of promoting social activities like sports, arts and culture, tourism, empowerment programmes, rehabilitate prostitutes and destitute, etc in the territory. In 2013, the total sum of N5 billion is earmarked to address some of the social menace within the FCT.

‘’The provision of Health Infrastructure and Services is estimated to cost FCTA the sum of N12 billion as proposed in the 2013 budget. This amount would complete the on-going projects, equipping of Hospitals and provision of other facilities.

‘’The sum of N30 billion is earmarked for the provision of infrastructure and services in the Education sector in year 2013. This will also cater for the expansion and rehabilitation of Primary, Secondary, Tertiary and Vocational Schools as well as to provide Teaching Aid Materials. This will improve the quality and standard of education in FCT.

‘’The sum of N24 billion is proposed for the provision of infrastructural facilities and to complete the on-going projects. N23 billion is for the completion of on-going projects while N470 million is for New Projects.’’

Senators, during deliberations of the budget, described the allotment of public funds to personal projects as an illegality especially as the office of the first lady is unconstitutional. Others described it as scandalous.

Commenting on the budget, Deputy Senate Leader Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central said, ‘’N150 million is too much for the renovation of the Vice President’s guest house in Asokoro. How much is the building that it will now gulp N150 million for renovation?”

Vice chairman, Committee Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Babajide Omoworare, ACN, Osun East said, “I’m worried about the provision of bogus figures (and) there’s a lot of disconnect. This budget hasn’t shown the reality of what’s happening in and around Abuja. Provision of N4 billion for building a missions office for the First Lady is scandalous.

‘’The Women Development Centre is there for the First Lady to do anything she wants to do and I’m not aware that there’s a First Ladies Mission office in the United States of America where we copied the Presidential system of government. There is no such building in South Africa and even Ghana that is our next door neighbour here.

“Four billion can be used for a lot of other things. We have not set our priorities right. I’m of the view that the committee should look into this.

“Again, I remember that in this chamber last year, we voted N1 billion only for new federal universities yet we are being asked to appropriate N4 billion for an office that’s alien to the Constitution.”

Also in his remarks, Vice chairman, Committee on Establishment and Public Service Committee, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, ACN, Ekiti Central noted “I’m worried and I hope that those of us who are leaders in this country do not take the youths for granted. How can we vote N4 billion for the office of the First Lady? I just pray and hope that this doesn’t get to the public because if it does, we are in trouble. How can you appropriate money for an office that’s not known to the Constitution?”

In his remarks, Senate President, expressed dismay that the government was failing in identifying its priorities citing the lack of attention to important things in the budget.

He however charged Senators to ensure that effective oversights are done.

Speaking further, Senate President Mark who urged the senator Bala Mohammed-led administration to set its priorities in the budget right, rather than start projects that would not be 90 percent completed at the end of every fiscal year.

He said, “You’ve all made very valid contributions. I think the main problem with the budget is getting our priorities right. Some issues have come to the forefront that shouldn’t come to the forefront. I’m wary of completing some projects haphazard.’’

Source: Pointblank News