By Jonathan Lois & Mercy Aikoye
House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation on Wednesday to
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, has appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation to defend N18 billion allocated to the Commission from the supplementary budget of N2.17 trillion.
Yakubu said the funds would be used for personnel emoluments and the conduct of off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo States.
He said N13.8 billion is for personnel emoluments, N1.4 billion to augment the conduct of elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo N1.6 billion for the conduct of 11 by-elections for the national and State Assemblies.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who got N100 billion told the Committee that N3.4 is earmarked for security equipment.
He also said the money would be used for the completion of the Abuja rail project among other infrastructure.
“Of course, there are infrastructure needs which have been abandoned before I came on board and these infrastructures need to be completed now that we have the dry season coming. When I came on board, I had to make some of these contractors like Julius Berger, to go back to work
“I believe that before we enter the rainy season next year this infrastructure and roads would have been completed. Again, talking about the completion of rehabilitation and take off of the Abuja rail project. You will agree with me that this project that Mr. President takes so important, and which will help in decongesting our traffic situation.
“I’ve been there as I came on board and Mr. President directed the day the Nigerian Bar Association held their annual conference that he wants to ride on this metro line, at least in his one year in office and which I think with your support we are going to achieve it.
“The amendment I want to make is this. Yes, it provided for N22 billion. Our problem is the dollar component of the project. You know this project was awarded in Naira and Dollar components.
“Right now, the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) is saying that they need their $7 million component. I will plead if it is possible with this 22bn if looking at the differentials, if we can provide for the dollar component of $7 million and whatever that is remaining will be the Naira component. This is because we tried to pay them in Naira but they said that the contract was in Dollar and Naira components.”
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, who got N100 billion said the plan is to have estates in the 36 states and create avenues for affordable housing across the country.
He said the Ministry aims to build 34, 500 housing units across the country.
The Security Chiefs as well as the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, also appeared before to defend their budgets.
However their defence was behind closed doors for security reasons according to the Chairman of the Committee, Abubakar Bichi.
Bichi said the relevant MDAs were invited to defend and shed more light on their submissions.
He said at the end of the hearing, the committee will collate its analysis in a report and send it back to the House.
In attendance were Major General K.I Yusuf, Chief of Defence, Accounts and Budget representing the Chief of Defence Staff; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen T. A. Lagbaja; the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall HB Abubakar; AIG I. Adepoju, in charge of Police Accounts and Budget who represented the Inspector General of Police; and the Director Administration of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mallam Kabiru Sani.
