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Reps approve N61.5bn budget as first line charge for FCTA

The House of Representatives on Thursday approved the sum of N61.554 billion supplementary budget for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) as a first-line charge.

The Supplementary budget bill was approved by the Committee of Supply.

Speaking on the synopsis of the FCT Supplementary budget, Chairman, House Committee on FCT, Hon. Aliyu Muktar Betara stated that the Bill is in continuance of the communication initiated by the President for the convenience running of the Federal Capital Territory to ensure it conducts its proper function.

From the amount, N12.900 billion is for Overhead Costs; while the balance of N48,653,778,260 is for Capital Projects; for the service of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja for the financial year ending on 31 December 2023.

The lawmakers resolved that all the amounts appropriated under this Bill shall be made from the Federal Capital Territory Administration Statutory Revenue Fund only for the purposes specified in the schedule of this Bill.

They also stated that all revenues accruing to the Federal Capital Territory Administration, including the Statutory Revenue distribution shall be paid into the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s Statutory Revenue Account.

The House also resolved that “No monies shall be withdrawn from the Account mentioned in Clause 3(1) above without appropriation by the National Assembly.

“Where, due to revenue shortfall, amounts appropriated under this Bill cannot be funded, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory shall seek from the National Assembly a waiver not to incur such expenditure.

Under the N12.900 billion recurrent non-debt expenditure, N2.2 billion was approved for FCTA’s Overhead Costs; N3.3 billion is for FCT Department of Human Resource Management; N2.800 billion is for Department of Information and Communication; N1 billion is for FCT Legal Secretariat; N1.600 billion is for
Facilities Maintenance and Management Department; N1.500 billion is for Abuja Environmental Management Board; while the sum of N500 million is for Satellite Towns Development Department.

From the total sum of N49.654 billion approved for capital expenditure, FCDA’s Engineering Services gets N30,543,778,260; Public Building gets N15,110,000,000; Bus Rapid Transit and Transport Regulations gets N3 billion.

The bill is expected to be passed through Third Reading during the next legislative day.

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