Season of budget defence

By Henry Umoru

On Resumption, Tuesday January 10, 2012, after the three-week yuletide recess, the Senate on Thursday, January 19 suspended Plenary for two weeks to enable its 56 Standing Committees concentrate on the consideration of the 2012 budget estimates.

The two weeks would enable ministers, heads of department and parastatals of government to appear before the Senate Committee Chairmen and members to defend what is an annual event, but a crucial development planning process.

Following the break, the Committees of the Senate immediately began the process of budget defence on Monday. The Ministries and Parastatals requested for upward review of their various allocations because they had their proposals reduced by 25% by the budget office of the federation.

When the Education Minister Professor Ruqqayatu Rufa’i appeared before the Senator Uche Chukwumerije-led Education Committee, the Senate described the N400, 148, 037, 983 billion for Education as a far cry from the 26% recommendation of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO.

According to Senator Chukwumerije, the total budget for the sector represents a little over 9% of the total National Budget proposal for the year, adding that with the present budget, much changes must not be expected.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwunmi Adesina, faced the Senator Emmanuel Bwacha led Committee on Agriculture to defend the budget of the Ministry, its parastatals and Research Institutes where he disclosed that the sector would be decentralised for effective monitoring and evaluation of projects across the country.

Defending the budget of his Commission during the week, the Acting Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, who disclosed that the 2012 budget stands at N10, 978,037,520, noted that the Commission would require a total of N300 million to cater for legal fess in 2012.

The EFCC had budgeted for a total of N21.8 billion for the year 2012, but the budget office slashed the proposal to N10.9 billion representing 51% of the requirement.

Ministry of Trade and Investment was not left out as the Minister defended the N10.078,412,956 budget for the year 2012 before the Senator Esther Nenadi Usman led Committee, even as the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC defended its total budget of N4,219,694,571.00. The ICPC’s proposal of N10,141,143,148.00 to the Budget office was slashed to N4,219,694,571.00 .

But interestingly, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, was hailed by the Senate for being the only government agency that reduced significantly the 2012 budget as against what was obtained in 2011.

Last year, INEC presented a budget estimate of N52,180,347,511.00 as against what it presented to the Senator Jajere Abdukadir led Committee of N47,361,974,562.97 appropriated for this year.

When it was the turn of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke to appear the Senate Committee on Gas, the defence was stalled following the absence of the Minister. When Nigerian Navy appeared, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, disclosed to the Senator Chris Anyanwu led Committee that about N6.5 billion would be spent on fueling the newly commissioned NNS Thunder and four other offshore patrol ships in 2012.

Senator Anyanwu described the budget as disastrous and the ships donated to Nigeria by the US as handouts, even as she condemned the donations, adding, ‘’it is sad that we have to depend on our big brothers before fulfilling our constitutional role in Nigeria. If we are able to plug the corruption in our system we should be able to buy brand new platforms to guard our territorial waters. That is the reflection of what is happening in our system. Corruption has sucked the blood out of our system. So we have to depend on handouts.

Navy’s budget this year is disastrous, when put side by side with what is appropriated. The Navy needs N142 billion and only N10.2 billion was appropriated. That is very though. It is a no brainer. I don’t know what N10 billion can do for the Navy”.

Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Mrs. Rose Uzoma, when she appeared before the Senator Abubakar Bagudu led Committee revealed that the service raked in N8.19 billion from the production of e-passports and issuance of 772, 327 passports in 2011.

But when the commander general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolurin, appeared, the Senate queried the NSCDC for setting aside N49.7million to feed 600 dogs and also raised questions on the provision of N129 million for local travels.  Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah who also appeared before the Senator Hope Uzodinma’s committee, disclosed that the ministry was planning to build four new international airports in the country in the next one year.

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