***N1.96billion for Purchase of Vehicles
***Seeks N644million for maintenance of Lagos Liaison office, Guest Houses
THE State House has budgeted a total sum of N7.20billion for maintenance of Villa facilities for next year out of a total of N21.137billion budgetary proposals for 2023 fiscal year.
The State House in its 2023 budget has also set aside N1.96billion for the purchase of vehicles purchase in the fiscal year and N644million for maintenance of State House Lagos Complex and Guest Houses.
Disclosing this yesterday in Abuja when he appeared before the Senator Abba Moro, Peoples Democratic Party, Benue South led Senate Committee on Federal Character, the Permanent Secretary, State House , Tijjani Umar who noted that the proposals and projections were inadequate, said that the total budget size of N21.137billion for State House in 2023 is N19.010billion less , when compared to the N40.148billion appropriated for it in 2022 fiscal year .
The Permanent Secretary who noted that the N7.20billion earmarked for maintenance of Villa Facilities formed the critical component of the Capital Expenditure segment of the proposed budget, said, " The facilities under this heading include but are not limited to electrical / mechanical installations, buildings and infrastructures in the President's and Vice President's residences , offices , State House Auditorium , Presidential and Ministerial Airport Chalets etc.
"These commitment usually take about 65% of the total appropriation of the State House . In order to keep the facilities in optimal working condition, the sum of N7.20billion has been proposed for year 2023 against the sum of N7.76billion in 2022."
According to Tijjani Umar, 2023 being an election year, the sum of N1.96billion earmarked for vehicle purchase was inadequate, just as provision of N59million for maintenance of State House Lagos Complex and Guest Houses , is grossly inadequate, adding that "the provision of N59million for maintenance of State House Lagos Complex and Guest Houses is inadequate , requiring an estimated sum of N644million for upgrade of the facilities.
" It is also instructive to note that the provision of N1.96billion in the 2023 proposal for vehicle purchase , would still be inadequate to meet existing requirements, 2023 being an election year which entails frequent travels with associated costs as well as the replacement of vehicles by incoming administration " , he said .
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Abba Moro who noted that the slash in the State House budget for 2023 fiscal year was not peculiar as other MDAs were also affected, however assured the Permanent Secretary that the committee will work on it.
Source: Vanguard
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