FCT N1.7trn 2025 Appropriation Bill passes second reading in Senate

By Haruna Salami

Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) 2025 Appropriation Bill of  N1.7trillion presented by President Bola Tinubu has passed second reading in the Senate.

This followed the presentation of the lead debate on the bill by the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele at plenary on Wednesday.

 Earlier, Bamidele moved for suspension of senate  standing rule 7 (1) to enable  the second reading of the bill, having been presented for first reading the same day.

 He said the 2025 FCT statutory appropriation bill seeks to authorise the issue from the FCT statutory revenue fund total of N1.7trillion.

 He said  the thrust of the    budget proposal was to ensure an effective and enduring service oriented administration, completion of ongoing projects and the provision of effective services to the residents of the FCT.

Highlights of the expenditure of FCT 2025 statutory appropriation bill indicates  N150  billion was  for personal cost, and the sum of  N343 billion is for overhead cost, while the balance of N1.2 trillion is for capital projects for the service of the FCT.

According to the Senate Leader, emphasis is placed on the completion of ongoing projects particularly those with high impact on the provision of services and infrastructure to the residents of the FCT.

However, he said, a few new projects that were considered absolutely necessary have also been included in the budget proposal.

He urged  the lawmakers  to give bill an expeditious passage.

Contributing and supporting the second  reading of the bill Senator Mohammed Monguno (Borno North) said it was good that the budget was focused on completion of on-going projects in the FCT.

 Senator Oyelola Ashiru (Kwara South) said the FCT 2025 budget  was a balanced budget, giving 70 per cent component of the budget to capital expenditure while 30 per cent was earmarked for recurrent expenditure.

 Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos East), collaborating, said the budget was developmental in nature given the substantial proposed expenditure on capital component.

However, he said there was need for the senate to know the source s of revenue to finance the budget, especially the capital component.

 Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) said the FCT was wearing  a new look given the massive infrastructure development by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and his team.

 Umeh, however, said  there was need to open up more adjourning  areas in the FCT with   infrastructure  provision to reduce  high cost of land in the  FCT.

 Therefore, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio referred the budget to Committee on FCT for further legislative inputs and to return back in one week.