By GRACE AUDU, Abuja –
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is to spend the sum of N45, 527, 118,338 for its 2021 National Priority Capital projects.
Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, disclosed this on Thursday when he presented the FCT 2021 National Capital Budget to the Senate Committee on the FCT at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
According to the Minister, this figure is contained in the 2021 Appropriation Bill presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly on October 8, 2020.
He explained that that this allocation was to sustain the implementation of critical projects both in the Federal Capital City (FCC) and the Satellite Towns.
Malam Bello also presented a list of 28 proposed priority projects to be funded from this budgetary proposal which he said is intended for the completion of on-going projects.
“In their selection, priority of attention was accorded to the completion of on-going projects. Accordingly, the entire projects in the 2021 budgets are for on-going projects,” the Minister said.
Some of the projects to be funded from this budget proposal include the construction of the Southern Parkway from the Christian Center to Ring Road One; Rehabilitation and Expansion of the Outer Northern Expressway Project Lot II (Kubwa Road from the Federal Civil Service College to the Villa Roundabout); Rehabilitation of and Expansion of the Airport Expressway (project Lot I) and; the completion of the International Vocational Institute Utako and four comprehensive Science and Technical Colleges in Abaji, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Karshi.
They also include provision of Engineering Infrastructure to Bwari Area Council; Rehabilitation of the National Assembly complex; design and construction of the Nigeria Cultural Center and Millennium Tower and; development of the Idu Industrial Area Engineering Infrastructure.
The Minister also disclosed that in the case of the millennium Tower project, the Administration was working on a number of hybrid financing options to complete the project which will include an appropriate dose of public/private partnership. This is to ensure the commencement of commercial activities at the national monument.
Speaking on the 2020 budget, the FCT Minister said its performance was impacted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
He revealed that the pandemic necessitated the downward review of the initial allocation of N62,407,154,360.00 to N29,657,154,360.00. Of this sum, he said that N15,000,000,000.00 representing 51% has so far been released.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on the FCT, Senator Abubakar Kyari, in his remarks, lamented the consistent decline of the annual budgetary allocation to the FCT over the years and said his Committee, in discharging its duties, would be transparent fair, courageous and always be guided by the dictates of the constitution and rules of parliamentary convention.
DISCLAIMER
The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.