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NASS Jerks Up Budget, Okays N8.916trn …Approves N160bn For Minimum Wage, Others …Transmits Appropriation Bill To Buhari, ’Morrow
The National Assembly, yesterday, passed the 2019 Appropriation Bill of N8.916trillion, jerking up President Muhammadu Buhari’s earlier proposal to accommodate some extra funding for special projects.
The budget as passed indicates an increase of N90billion to the Appropriation Bill sum submitted on December 19, 2018.
According to separate reports presented by Chairmen of Appropriation Committees at both chambers, the N90billion increase in the budget profile would take care of N10billion intervention fund for victims of Zamfara crisis, N23.678 billion added as severance gratuity for outgoing federal lawmakers and their legislative aides, and about N66billion additional vote for the various security agencies for more potent war against all forms of crimes in the land.
Specifically, the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee in the Senate, Senator Danjuma Goje (APC Gombe Central), explained that the N23.678billion severance package for outgoing legislators also included induction programme/inauguration of the 9th Assembly.
Goje also explained further that to ensure the immediate implementation of the just approved N30,000 minimum wage for public servants, the N160billion proposed as service wide votes was appropriated under the public service wage adjustment for Ministries , Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
However, as recommended by the committees and approved by both chambers, all the parameters on which the budget estimates are based remain as proposed by the executive arm.
The parameters are $60 per barrel oil price benchmark, 2.3million barrel per day production level, and N350 to one US dollar as exchange rate.
Major highlights of the N8.916trillion 2019 budget passed by the National Assembly are N502.058billion for Statutory Transfers, N500billion for Special Intervention and N4.055trillion for recurrent expenditure.
Others are N2.094trillion for capital expenditure, N1.908trillion as fiscal deficit within the ambit of 1.37 per cent deficit to GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
Within the service-wide allocation in the approved budget, N65billion was appropriated for Presidential Amnesty Programme on reintegration of transformed ex-militants, N5billion earmarked for payment of outstanding death benefit to civil servants and police personnel, while N15billion was approved as additional support for universities.
Within the capital expenditure component of the budget, N394.906billion is earmarked for the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, N107.218billion for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, N159.125billion for Ministry of Defence, and N92.178bn for Ministry of Water Resources.
Others are, N58.689bn for Ministry of Education, N179.384bn for Ministry of Transportation, and N53.678billion for Ministry of Interior, among others.
However, in the recurrent expenditure component of the budget, the Ministry of Interior has the highest appropriated votes of N564.222billion, followed by Ministry of Education with N463.395billion.
In his remarks after passing the Appropriation Bill for third reading, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki said: “With passage of this bill for third reading today, the Executive must ensure full implementation of the budget, sector-by-sector for the benefit and well-being of Nigerians”.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly yesterday approved N160bn for the payment of the new minimum wage for federal workers and payment of severance benefits.
The decision followed the unanimous endorsement of the 2019 Budget presentation by the lawmakers at separate plenaries which held simultaneously in both houses and presided over by Senate President BukolaSaraki and Speaker YakubuDogara at the National Assembly, Abuja.
Our correspondent reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had, on December 19, 2018, presented the 2019 Budget proposal of N8.83trn before the joint session of the National Assembly.
However, the Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday passed the 2019 Appropriation Bill, jacking it up from N8.83trn to N8.92trn with a N90bn increase.
Under other service-wide votes, item 90 of the Report of the Senate Committee on Appropriation on the 2019 Budget Bill, which reads: “public service wage adjustment for MDAs (including arrears of promotion and salary increases) and payment of severance benefits” has N160bnn as its budget.
Also, item 88 that reads: “payment of outstanding death benefit to civil servants/Police” has N5bn for the budget.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje, while addressing newsmen shortly after the budget passage, affirmed that the N160 billion was to fund the minimum wage increase and severance benefits as stipulated in item 90 of the report.
Goje, however, stated that if the amount budgeted failed to meet the demand, the Federal Government could present a supplementary budget to cover the shortfall.
Our correspondent reports that the National Minimum Wage Bill, which was passed by the lower and upper house on January 29 and March 19 respectively, was signed into law by President Buhari on April 18.
The National Assembly, after a short break, resumed to pass the votes and proceedings of the day, and adjourned to Tuesday, May 6, 2019.
Meantime, the House of Representatives, yesterday, said the National Assembly would transmit the approved 2019 Budget of N8.916trillion to President Muhammadu Buhari, tomorrow.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Rep. Mustapha Dawaki, made this known while briefing newsmen after plenary in Abuja.
Dawaki explained that the increase in total budget from N8.83trillion was due to the inclusion of funds for “special interventions’’ made by the National Assembly.
He said that the interventions included the provision of N24.6billion as severance allowance for outgoing lawmakers and N10billion for Zamfara terrorism.
He said that the Christmas break and the general elections accounted for the delay in the passage of the budget.
“The President laid this budget on December 19, 2018, but certain extraneous forces such as the Christmas and New Year breaks also affected quick passage of the Appropriation Bill.
“And, don’t forget that we had to go on break to fully participate in the February polls; all these were distractions that really affected the passage of the Appropriation Bill.
“Hopefully, by Thursday, the budget will be transmitted to the president for his assent.
“We left the oil benchmark and exchange rate as sent by the Executive, except for the deficit which we adjusted,’’ Dawaki said.
Meanwhile, the Senate, yesterday, directed its Committee on Youth and Sports to investigate the alleged illegal appointment of a new Director-General for the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.
It was also said that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai unilaterally made the alleged unconstitutional but controversial appointment.
This development was sequel to an adopted order 42 and 52 Senate Rule moved by Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West.
Melaye, in presenting his motion, said it was unconstitutional for Buratai to have made the said appointment as it was in breach of the provision of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
In his words, “I’m bringing to the notice of the Senate an infringement in the appointment of a new Director-General of NYSC.
“It was said that the Chief of Army Staff made a new appointment of NYSC Director-General in replacement of the former DG.
“This is unconstitutional as it is only the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that has the right as provided by the constitution to do so.
“The NYSC Act Section 5 reads, “There shall be a Director-General for the National Youth Service Corps to be appointed by the President.
“But Buratai through a signal removed and appointed a new NYSC DG.
“We should not allow this, Mr. President. Otherwise, we should not be surprised to wake up one morning to hear that DG, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been removed and appointed a new Senate President”.
However, Senator Bassey Akpan seconded the motion while it was put to a voice vote by Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki that resulted in the unanimous resolution to refer the matter to its committee to investigate and report back next Wednesday for further legislative action.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja
Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) of his administration’s commitment to supporting and strengthening the scheme in the State.
Fubara gave the assurance last Friday at the NYSC permanent orientation camp, Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area in the State, during the swearing-in ceremony of 2026 Batch B Stream II orientation course.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Bureau, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Promise Oguzie, the governor said the State Government would remain intentional in providing the necessary support to improve the NYSC scheme and enhance the experiences of corps members deployed to the state.
He charged the corps members to be role models and quality nation-builders in their service to the good people of Rivers State in particular, and Nigeria at large.
“I charge you to be exemplary, dedicated and committed in all you do. Take full advantage of all the camp programmes and activities to enrich yourselves”, he said.
In his welcome address, the State Coordinator of NYSC in Rivers State, Mr. Moses Oleghe, urged corps members to see their deployment to Rivers State as a “veritable opportunity to make meaningful contribution to the growth of the State in particular and Nigeria at large.”
He further charged them to serve with all sense of “integrity, discipline, and the fear of God, especially when they will be engaged as INEC ad-hoc staff that will conduct the 2027 general elections.”
A total of 3,584 corps members composed of 1,421 males and 2,163 females were sworn in by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, who was represented by Justice Godspower Aguma.
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders for the nation to move in the right direction and make meaningful progress.
The Governor stated this yesterday when he received in audience, the World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler; his wife, Andriene Marques Kohler; daughter Mariana Marques Kohler and a retinue of ministers of the church at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Fubara who hailed the Seventh Day Adventist Church for its contributions to education and the grooming of future leaders in Nigeria, expressed delight that the Church had over the years, been investing in education at various levels and currently runs two universities in the country.
He commended the church for not only using its institutions to spread the gospel of Christianity but to groom future leaders for the country.
According to him, religion should not be just about defending one’s faith, but also making meaningful impact on the lives of the people.
He said that by floating these educational institutions, the church has demonstrated capacity to support Nigeria in the task of producing not only educated people but a breed of God-fearing leaders.
“Our country is where it is today because we lack the fear of God. If you have the fear of God, there should be a limit to what you can do because you understand the supremacy of God. But when God is not in your equation, you’ll go beyond the line and that is what has brought us to where we are today.
“So, I feel very happy that you are contributing to the development of our future leaders in this country. We need the right people being in the right place; prepared properly with good minds; that is what we need, not just in Nigeria but round the whole world.,” he said.
Governor Fubara further observed that the absence of God-fearing people in high places to take the right decisions that could impact positively on the society, has also given rise to other problems such as social inequality, poverty, corruption and criminality. According to him, Nigeria needs a system where the average parent could afford quality education for their children and a guarantee that upon graduation, the average child will have the capacity to compete favourably with anybody, anywhere in the world.
“If we have a situation where the little money that you’re being paid as wage can also afford you quality healthcare and after working at least for 15-20 years, you have a roof over your head, tell me why you should be involved in any kind of crime? At that point, you’ll feel secured and this attitude of insecurity about the future that leads to all the social vices we have today won’t be there,” he said.
Governor Fubara expressed appreciation to the delegation for the visit and for their prayers for Rivers State, assuring them of his continued support for their programmes in the state.
Leader of the delegation and World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler said he was in Nigeria for a special conference of the church during which thousands of the church’s ministers will be undergoing an empowerment programme to further equip them for the task of herding their flocks and serving the society.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for the warm reception accorded his entourage, saying the memory of the visit will linger in his mind for a lifetime.
Kohler disclosed that the Church has over twenty -four million (24,000,000) members and more than 182,000 places of worship, spread across 212 countries of the world.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has approved the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This reaffirms the lawmakers’ commitment to enacting laws and taking legislative actions geared towards the overall development of the State.
The Assembly gave the approval during its Second Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session held last Friday.
Speaking on the MTEF document during plenary, the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, noted that by the provision of Section 10(1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law No. 8 of 2010, the MTEF ought to have been laid before the House in September 2025.
Amaewhule explained that traditionally, the document is expected to be presented four months before the commencement of the next financial year and immediately after the expiration of every three-year fiscal cycle.
He, however, stated that in the interest of the State and its people, the House considered it necessary to deliberate on the document, describing it as a precursor to the 2026 Budget Estimates.
The Speaker expressed concern that the year had already progressed significantly before the presentation of the framework.
During deliberations on the document, members examined the assumptions and projections contained in the MTEF and observed that strict adherence to the outlined fiscal parameters would ultimately serve the interest of Rivers people.
The lawmakers maintained that effective implementation of the framework would promote prudent financial management and enhance developmental planning across the State.
Following the debate and positive consideration by members, the Speaker put the question to the House and members voted overwhelmingly in support of the approval of the MTEF.
Meanwhile, during the same sitting last Friday, the House also received a petition from the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr. Gift Worlu.
The petition was presented by the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, Hon. Emilia Amadi.
According to the petition, concerns were raised over an imminent security breach, threats to lives, destruction of property and alleged forceful takeover of property by some lawless persons within parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the petition before the House, Hon. Amadi appealed to the lawmakers to revisit the matter and take necessary steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property in the affected communities.
The House is expected to further deliberate on the petition and consider measures to address the concerns raised in order to sustain peace and security in the area.
King Onunwor
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