Renovation of NASS: FG allocated N9bn, not N27bn, Budget Office clarifies

The Budget Office of the federation has clarified that the allocation for the renovation of the National Assembly Complex in the 2020 budget is N9.25 billion and not N27 billion as widely reported.

Director-General of the Budget Office, Ben Akabueze made the clarification on Thursday while reacting to reports on the of the allocation for the renovation which has sparked public outrage.

Nigerians have condemned the allocation, saying that the money was supposed to be channelled to critical health Infrastructure especially at a time the country is fighting the Coronavirus pandemic.

In the revised budget, both education and health budgets were slashed but the allocation to renovate the national assembly was approved.

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He said the allocation, which was initially N37 billion, was cut down by 75 per cent to N9.25 billion, and not N27 billion as quoted by some reports.

“The provision for renovation/retrofitting of the National Assembly (NASS) Complex in the revised budget is N9.25billion, not N27billion as being bandied around,” Akabueze said via a statement.

“The initial provision of N37 billion in the 2020 Appropriation Act for this was cut by 75 per cent due to the impact of Covid-19 on government revenues.”

Speaking further, Akabueze stated that the allocation for universal basic education and basic healthcare provision fund was not slashed but was adjusted to fit the one per cent of the consolidated revenue fund as stipulated by the law.

“Therefore, when the Covid-19 pandemic eroded the CRF, the budgetary provisions were automatically adjusted in accordance with the applicable laws,” Akabueze said.

President Muhammadu Buhari had signed a budget of N10.5 trillion into law but the impact of the coronavirus pandemic caused the federal government to make some adjustments in the allocations.

The revised appropriation bill is now being considered by both chambers of the national assembly.