Budget: N18bn allocated to us not meant for Bayela, Imo Kogi States alone – INEC

…As Wike laments abandon project over non payment

By Christiana Ekpa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has explained that the N18 billion allocated to it in the N2.17 trillion 2023 supplementary budget being considered by the National Assembly, was not meant for the coming off cycle elections in Bayela, Imo and Kogi States alone.
This was just as theMinister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed lamented non the funding methodology of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit project.
Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who gave the explanation before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Wednesday, said “it is not all about election, as a substantial part of the budget is for personnel cost”.
According to him, there had been arrears of regular review of the emolument of staff members, which were not captured by the 2023 budget, and case had been made for that and accommodated in the supplementary budget, and also owed Duty Tour Allowances (DTAs) of staff members.
He further disclosed that owing to inevitable changes in certain parameters of the Commission’s running costs, there was need for adjustments, citing the increase in the pump price of fuel as one of such, which he said about N1.4 billion has been provided for in the supplementary budget.
He said there was also the case of vacancies that ought to be filled, as according to him, “after the inauguration of the National Assembly, and the State Houses of Assemblay, in just four months, 11 vacancies have occurred”.
Also on ground to defend the N300 billion allocation to his ministry was the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who lamented the poor state of Nigerian roads, disclosing how a recent tour from Abuja to Benin took him 14 hours due to bad road. He appealed for cooperation of the National Assembly to address the challenges in the road sector.
On his part, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa explained that the N100 billion allocation in the supplementary budget would be targeted at urban renewal and affordable housing.
Others who appeared before the committee were Minister for Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Defence, Muhammed Bdaru, Minister of the FCT, Nyesome Wike, and the nation’s security chiefs.