Senate Passes N222 Billion Budget For FCT

The senate has approved a budget sum of N222 .3 billion for the federal capital territory for 2017.

The passage of the FCT budget followed consideration of the senate committee on FCT report presented by Senator Dino Melaye who is the chairman of the committee.

Presenting the report for consideration, Senator Melaye said that N52.5 billion is earmarked for personnel cost while the overhead costs is N41 billion which made the total recurrent to N93.8 billion while the capital expenditure is N128.4 billion.

Melaye explained that the budget for personnel cost is intended to cushion the effect of the promotion, yearly increment and engagement of new but essential staff, such sector as health, education, directorate of road traffic services for traffic management and Abuja environmental protection board for city cleaning.

He added that personnel cost in the budget constitute 23.64% of the FCT statutory budget proposal while the overhead costs constitute 18.20 % of the budget. The capital budget is 58% of the total budget.

On the overhead costs, he said the provision in the budget is to enhance the operational cost of secretariat, departments and agencies (SDAS) in order to improve performances and meet up with revenue targets.

Melaye said the budget also made provision for some critical services such as security, city cleaning, traffic management, chemicals for water treatment etc.

Enumerating various capital projects that will be done in the 2017 FCT budget, Melaye said projects like expansion of airport and Kubwa expressways, provision of infrastructure to ongoing districts such as Jahi,Wuye,Maitama extension and Abuja north west , Mbora, Kyami and Kabusa garden, etc.

He added that N20 billion has been earmarked for the ongoing projects in satellite towns like 5,000 units affordable housing in Wasa satellite town and n5.5 billion for the provision of engineering infrastructure for the resettlement of site Wasa 1 while the remaining allocation is channeled towards provision of roads, electricity supply, the development of satellite towns like Kubwa, Bwarikau, Karshiara road, Dobiizom roads, Karu township roads among others.