The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello, on Tuesday in Abuja presented the sum of N299,963,491,522.46 as the FCT 2021 Statutory Budget proposal to the Senate Committee on FCT.
Bello explained that the budget proposal had taken into account the estimated revenue accruing to the FCT through the Federation Account and recognises other in-house efforts to boost revenue generation capacities in the territory.
He stated that total recurrent expenditure is N136,312,350,743.21 while capital expenditure is N163,651,140,779.25 respectively.
The minister also said that the sum of N74,523,382,813.15 was proposed as Personal costs while overhead Costs was ₦61,788,967,930.06 respectively.
” Equally, the sum of N136,312,350,743.21 representing 54.56 per cent was proposed as capital expenditure for the year 2021, which was for the development of infrastructure with emphasis on completion of ongoing projects.
” Out of the proposed capital expenditure, the sum of N78,793,795,841.000 is dedicated to the completion of the ongoing Abuja Light Rail projects and other counterpart funded related projects aimed at enhancing socioeconomic activities of the FCT,” he said.
Similarly, Bello said that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) was allocated the sum of N26.7 billion and Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) the sum of N17.7 billion.
He said that other Secretariat Department and Agencies (SDAs) were allocated the cumulative sum of N40,903,488,220.00 for their capital expenditure, to address critical critical areas like ongoing road construction, water treatment plan and related facilities, but with new projects.
Bello revealed that the 2021 budget preparation aligned with the Federal Government budget parameters, as well as took into consideration assumptions for the 2021 National budget.
He explained that the focus of the capital budget was mainly on completion of ongoing projects that have high impact on service delivery to the FCT residents.
He disclosed that a fiscal framework of the sum of N299,963,491,522.46 comprising distributable revenue of N215,951,023,735.00 and non-distributable revenue of N84,012,467,787.46 have been proposed for the FCT 2021 statutory budget after due consultations with all revenue generating agencies of the FCTA.
According to him, there is an increase of the sum of N100,722,960,173.00 (34 per cent ) in the 2021 budget proposal, when compared with the revised 2020 appropriation of the sum of N199,240,531,350.00.
The minister also revealed that the sum of N7.5 billion was earmarked for the expansion and rehabilitation of seven major roads in 2021, in order to speed up their completion before the end of the fiscal year.
He added that the sum of N17.7 billion was proposed for infrastructural development in the Satellite Towns, of which the key projects are; engineering infrastructure to Kubwa, Bwari, Karshi, Wasa and extension of Karshi-Apo Road
Bello thanked the committee for the opportunity provided to the FCT Administration to defend its 2021 statutory budget proposal.
He expressed conviction that with legislative and moral support, the development of the nation’s capital city to its envisaged status of a modern city comparable to any in the world would be achieved.
Earlier, Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said the committee would ensure full implementation of the budget, through its oversight functions, to ensure effective service delivery to the residents of the territory.
Kyari, however, reiterated that the FCT Minister should ensure that budget proposal should henceforth be presented on or before September of the preceding year, for proper and efficient deliberation and implementation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the critical projects to be executed by the FCT Administration in the 2021 statutory budget proposal are; rehabilitation and expansion of outer southern expressway, expansion and extension of inner southern expressway.
Others were construction of southern Parkway from Christian Centre, B6 B12, Reconstruction of and dualisation of Lower Usuma Dam-Gurara Road, construction of access roads for Abuja Light Rail stations and resurfacing of existing roads. (NAN)
