FCT minister presents N64bn proposal for 2022 budget

Mr Anthony Ogunleye, Chief Press Secretary to the minister, in a statement in Abuja, said Bello made the disclosure when he presented the FCT’s 2022 National Budget to the Joint Senate and House Committees on the FCT at the National Assembly.

The minister explained that the figure was contained in the 2022 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari on Oct. 7.

Bello added that the National Budget estimate of the FCT leveraged the 2021-2022 Medium Term National Plan (MTNDP) of the Federal Government.

He also said that the priority of the of the MTNDP was the completion of on-going critical projects that would have the greatest impact on the citizenry.

According to him, the 2022 FCT budget estimates targets the sustained completion of 18 priority projects both within the Federal Capital City (FCC) and the satellite towns.

“Some of these priority projects include the installation of solar street lights along various roads in the satellite towns; provision of roads, water and electricity supplies to the resettlement site of Galuwyi Shere (Phase II).

“Rehabilitation and upgrading of street lighting facilities within the FCC; Design/ construction of dam, treatment plant, tanks and other bulk water supply infrastructure to Karshi; Abuja Light Rail Transit Phase II Addendum 1-2 (2)

“And the Rehabilitation of Federal Government Buildings amongst others,” he said.

Speaking further on the importance of some of the projects, Bello said that the construction of the Mpape –Shere Galuwyi road was a bold initiative of the FCT Administration to ensure a successful resettlement process of original inhabitants in about 16 communities.

“While the implementation of the Abuja Light rail Mass transit Phase II Addendum 1-2 (2) will fund the completion of a remaining 5.76km rail line thereby extending the rail line from Baizango to the Kubwa station.”

He said that the Greater Abuja Water supply project was a bilateral initiative to enhance water supply in the FCT and its implementation would extend the supply of potable water to 33 Districts covering Gwarimpa, one and two Utako, Dutse, Gudu Kaura, Wuye, Mabushi, Jahi, Kado , Karmo, Lokogoma, Kabusa, Dape amongst others.

On the performance of the 2021 National Budget, Bello said that the 2021 Appropriation Act had allocated the sum of N37, 430,762,421.00 for infrastructure development activities of the FCT Administration as of date.

The minister said, a total sum of N30,147,069,087.06 had been released representing a budget performance of 81 per cent.

“While the actual utilisation as at September 30 2021 stood at N18,350, 329,852.46 representing 60% of the sum released.”

Bello disclosed that there was a need to increase the FCT’s budgetary allocation, saying that the FCT should be considered as a national project.

He also said that the FCT was performing well in its revenue generation drive as it was now only second to Lagos State in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

Members of the FCT team to the National Assembly includes; the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusade Adesola, Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, among others.