By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, said the Federal Government spent N118.37 billion on COVID-19 related capital project in 2020.
Speaking virtually on Tuesday at the public presentation of the approved 2021 budget, the minister said out of the N1.8 trillion meant for capital projects, N118.37 billion was used for COVID-19 related capital spending.
The minister further said that N380.21 billion was allocated to the health sector in the 2021 approved budget assented into law by the President.
“Of the total sum, N35.03 billion was provided in the budget for the implementation of the National Health Act (BHCFA), while N45.19 billion was for GAVI/Immunization.”
She added that N2.2 billion was allocated for Polio Eradication Initiatives, “N3.34 billion for the Procurement of RI, non-Polio Vaccine and operational cost as well as N2.5 billion for expanded midwives service scheme. Also, N400 billion was allocated for Federal Government’s Special Intervention Programme, including Home Grown School Feeding Programme, Government Economic Empowerment Programme, N-power Job Creation Programme and Conditional Cash Transfers among others.”
On budget performance for 2020, she said the Federal Government projected N9.97 trillion expenditure, saying it spent about N10.08 trillion, representing 101 per cent performance.
Explaining further, she said debt servicing gulped N3.27 trillion, while N3.19 trillion was for payment of salaries and pensions.
“Meanwhile, in the 2021 budget, N709.69 billion will be raked from multilateral/bi-lateral loan drawdown, and will be added to the funds which will be generated from borrowing and sale of public assets.”
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