The House of Representatives yesterday passed the 2015 budget of N4.4 trillion.
John Enoh (PDP-Cross River), Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, urged the incoming APC-led Federal Government to submit supplementary appropriation to boost job creation and infrastructural development.
Enoh argued that almost all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), had zero allocation for capital projects in the 2015 appropriation.
He said,“Having adjusted the benchmark to $53 and adopted same by the conference Committee of both the House and the Senate, we found that the proportion between recurrent and capital was so bad.
“So, we plead with the Federal Government and by extension, the incoming one, to reduce the gap between recurrent and capital by increasing capital votes using supplementary appropriation.
“However, the adjustment made does not make any significant difference as the gap still remains highly visible.
“It is our suggestion that Federal Government, as a matter of urgency, proposes a supplementary appropriation that aimes at boosting the capital expenditure.
“This will be the basis for achieving projected development drive and job creation. So, I urge my colleagues to support and help to pass this budget,” Enoh said.
The Reps speaking with unity passed N375.62 billion as statutory transfers, N953.62 billion as debts service and N2.61 trillion for non-recurrent expenditure.
In the breakdown, not less than N2trillion was allocated to MDAs. Federal executive bodies under the Presidency were allocated N13.96 billion for their recurrent expenditure with little or nothing as capital allocation.
The sum of N231 billion was allocated to Service-Wide Votes among others.
The Senate is expected to harmonize the budget before onward transfer to the President for assent.
