NASS THUMBS UP MIN OF AVIATION 2016 BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION

Jude Idu, Abuja.

***AS MINISTRY CLAIMS 83 PER CENT PERFORMANCE GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO PROPOSED TRANSFORMATION PROJECTS

Senate committee on aviation, Thursday, has given clean bill of health to the Minister of state for Aviation 2016 budget implementation, which the Ministry, claimed its overall performance has gotten to 83 per cent as at November 9th 2016.

Speaking during the Senate committee 2016 oversight function, to the Ministry Thursday, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Adamu Aliero, expressed confidence on the implementation of the budget, which he said was wonderful considering the delay in 2016 before it was signed into law.

While highlighting on all the enlisted projects of the Ministry in revitalizing the industry for optimal economic growth and benefit to individual Nigeria, senator Aliero, agreed that the quest for National Career is such that will improve the economy of the country and should further be given a National priority.

His words. “I must tell you that this committee is indeed in support of your repositioning proposed projects, one of which is the purchase of national career, which we also think that a country like Nigeria, should have to service the needs of its large population.

He reminded that the National career should come but not with the same way of operation, which saw the former Nigeria Airway gone into extinction.

We are also unequivocally, supports your motive to sanitize the workforce in some of the agencies. We understand that some of the aviation agencies has up to ten general managers and are over staffed.

“We also saw annual budget of all these agencies allocate 50 per cent to over head and 50 per cent to capital project, which is abnormal”

On the purchase of equipment, for safeguarding of the Airports, he advised that most of the facilities bought before now, should be fixed for optimal use and safeguarding of human lives and Nigerian airports.

Senator Aliero, however, proposed a quicker aviation industry expansion, that will generate funds from other African sub regions in exporting agro- allied products to other countries of the world with the provision of aerotropolise.

Earlier speaking, while presenting the budget breakdown to the committee, the Minister of state for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said that the general performance of his ministry was actually hampered by the controversy of 2016 budget passage.

According to Senator Sirika, most of its sector reform, in the aviation industry is quite germane as the sector is pivotal to the growth of the key economic sector including Tourism, trade and commerce. He stated that the sector, has witnessed tremendous growth globally in terms of passenger, cargo aircraft movement, which its value chain is enormous.

He stressed that given to the huge population of the country, that some key policies are necessary including safety and security, infrastructure and Airport concessioning, establishment of National carrier as well as establishment of maintenance repairer and overhaul facility.

Others he further requested are for the establishment of Aviation University, which he said needed the collaborations of some international aviation industries to approach and help the country develop.

Senator Sirika, saida that the budget performance of the Ministry as at 9th November 2016 goes thus. Personnel budget, amount appropriated 1,370,856,009, amount released,1,142,380,007.50. Amount spent, 1,142,380,007.50 and balance 228,476,001.50. he also said that overall performance of personnel budget is 83 per cent. While overhead cost, stands thus, amount appropriated, 437,276,086.00, amount released is 314,630,639.36. Amount spent stands at 310,115,352.00.
Also balances 0n release 4,515,287,36 and balance on appropriation stands at 122,645,446.64.

Sirika also presented overall performance of overhead cost of 72 per cent, while the capital account stands thus, amount appropriated 18,050,439,654.00. Amount released, 7,000,000,000.00. Amount spent 2,838,452,924.73. Then amount balance on release 4,161,547,075.27 and balance appropriated is 11,050,439,654.00.

The ministry stated that personnel, overhead and capital stands at, total appropriation was 19,858,571,749.00. total amount released was 8,457,010,646,.86. amount spent 4,290,948,284.23 balance amount released was 4,166,062,362,63 and balance appropriation was 11,401,562,102.14.

He reminded that the grand total of release stands at 43 per cent, while the total average performance, stands at 65 per cent. He also noted that the capital budget implementation was focused on the completion of the on-going projects in the major international Airports while key steps have been taken on the establishment of the National carrier.

The Minister however requested that introducing private public partnership remains the best option of funding and running the Aviation industry and the major source of Nigeria revenue in the recent time has suffered a set back since the fall in oil prize.