By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike on Wednesday, defended N61, 553, 778, 259.93 billion FCT 2023 supplementary budget before Senate committee on FCT and the House of Representatives Committee.
During his separate presentation before the committees, Wike told members of the committees that the amount is required to complete projects that will have direct impact on Abuja residents in the first one year of President Bola Tinubu in office.
He said the budget revenue sources will be inflows from paris club Refund, Payee Tax Liabilities, Special Intervention Funds (palliatives), Internally Generated Revenue and the Infrastructure support fund.
According to the breakdown, the minister revealed that Paris Club Refund supplementary revenue stand at N25,790.082,458, Refund of IPPIS/PAYE N14,320,372,647.53, Special Intervention Fund (palliative) N5,000,000,000.00, IGR N9,443,323, 154.00 and Infrastructure support fund which stand at 7,000,000,000.00.
He disclosed that top on the list of the projects will include Abuja rail mass transit, provision of mass transit buses/rehabilitation of existing and serviceable and expansion of roads.
Wike identified others to include rehabilitation of National Christian centre and rehabilitation of National Mosque in Abuja and many others.
The Minister explained that the mass transit buses will be launched in December to help address challenges of transportation that pave way for one-chance operations.
Wike said most of the strategic projects awarded for years were abandoned due to lack of funding, which he said his administration would not tolerate.
According to him, “The projects were awarded before I became the minister but I will ensure that they are completed. Projects of national impact can not be abandoned.
“Vice president residential house was awarded in 2010 at the cost of seven billion but was abandoned, with millennium towers at the cost of nine billion also abandoned.I have visited the project areas and check the situation of things and have directed work to resume”
Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Hon. Muktar Betara who lauded the minister for his passion to develop the territory, however urged him to reconsider the uniform fees for obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy, saying highbrow areas like Asokoro, Maitama, Wuse and others cannot have the same fees with the satellite towns.
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