On Friday, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, presented the N17,109,746,531.00 National Appropriation Bill for 2024 before a joint session of the Senate and House FCT committees.
This is the minister’s first budget presentation as the Federal Capital Territory’s 17th minister.
He noted that if approved by the joint session of the 10th NASS committees, the budget will aid in the completion of critical projects in the Federal Capital City (FCC) and satellite cities.
The FCT’s share of the N27.5 trillion 2024 national budget recommended to the National Assembly recently is N17.109 billion.
Wike revealed that N5 billion was set aside as a counterpart fund for the Greater Abuja Water Supply projects, while N4.5 billion was set aside for the design and construction of the Nigeria Cultural Centre and Millennium Tower.
He stated that N3 billion had been put aside for the refurbishment of the Federal Secretariat and N4 billion had been set aside for the completion of the Vice President’s Residence.
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According to Wike, “N609.7 million is for the establishment of residential and office accommodation for international organizations in the FCT.”
“The money is just N17.1 billion, so what can I say other than to say, Please help us pass it?”
Speaking on the performance of the 2023 budget, Wike said that a total of N15.474,499,132.00 billion was appropriated for infrastructure development, of which only N8 billion has so far been released, representing 52%.
Senator Ibrahim Bomai, chairman of the senate committee of FCT, who spoke on behalf of his counters from the House of Representatives, said the amount was not enough for the completion of the ongoing projects, especially the Abuja Greater Water Works.
Bomai urged members of the joint session of the committees to consider the minister taking a bow and going, which they all accepted.
He said; “If we all agree, let the minister take a bow and go.”