Inside Nigeria
Budget Cuts: S’East Senators Shocked Over Slash Of N2bn Allocation For Enugu Airport To N500m
The South East Senate Caucus has expressed shock over a reported cut in the 2018 budget allocation for the Enugu Airport Terminal.
The Chairman of the caucus, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, and lawmakers from the region said they learnt that an allocation of N2 billion sustained by the two aviation committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, were said to have been slashed to N500 million.
He said that the caucus had summoned an emergency meeting of South East lawmakers to unravel when the cut was effected and by who.
He added that “no right-thinking Igbo man would support any cut on allocation for projects in the South East region.”
Abaribe, who said that the budget documents were verifiable, noted that “we are committed and determined to find out who made the cut.”
He said that the caucus actually lobbied for the Enugu Airport Terminal allocation to be increased to N3.5 billion until the Ministry of Aviation told members of the caucus that what they had was an envelope which could not be increased beyond the N2 billion allocation.
Abaribe, who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy, noted for instance that N30 billion was smuggled into the power budget without his committee’s knowledge.
He said that the N30 billion was listed for expansion and re-enforcement of infrastructure in the distribution companies to reduce stranded firms.
He added that “the amount never passed through the Senate Power committee.
“Where did such huge sum of N30 billion come from.
“Let the budget office and other relevant bodies conduct a self-examination. Such self-examination will go a long way to clear gray areas.”
He explained that “in the case of the Enugu Airport Terminal and the Second Niger Bridge, we want to find out at what point the cut was made.”
President Muhammadu Buhari who signed the 2018 budget on Wednesday, said that the National Assembly made cuts amounting to N347 billion in the allocation to 4,700 projects submitted to it for consideration.
He also said that 6,403 projects were injected, amounting to N578 billion.
He stressed that many of the project cuts were critical and may be difficult, if not impossible, to implement with the reduced allocation.
Anonymous
June 23, 2018 at 7:24 am
According to the Senate response I read, we were told that the project from last years budget cost N2b and about N1.7b has been released to the contractor with a balance of N300m. Now the same project is reoccurring in 2018 budget and you expect the Senate to approve another N2b for the same project again?. We better open our eyes to see the scam that the executive is trying to sell to us in this country.
Anonymous
June 23, 2018 at 6:06 am
Chai is not good ooooo
Anonymous
June 23, 2018 at 5:48 am
Which kind shock? Bunch of hypocrites. Nigerians must take the revolution to the Parliament come 2019, they are not representing us but their pockets.
Anonymous
June 22, 2018 at 10:05 pm
One nigeria Just Lol
Anonymous
June 23, 2018 at 7:39 am
Useless man, your brothers are there sleeping
Anonymous
June 22, 2018 at 8:24 pm
Now the will know that there’s fire on d mountain
Anonymous
June 22, 2018 at 7:26 pm
What is shocking you! That is one 9ja 4u! Better wise up! Slaves.
Anonymous
June 22, 2018 at 11:54 am
They are lying, they are aware of everything. They decided to cut down all vital projects like 2nd Niger bridge, Mambila power project etc these national assembly members are enemies to all Nigerians. An irony to this is, they still have supporters who are always ready to defend them, come what may.
Anonymous
June 22, 2018 at 10:43 am
The senators from the eastern states, should leave the Senate flour n come back home, if they are serious ok
Anonymous
June 22, 2018 at 9:37 am
firstly, I checked Oriental news background and realized is from the SE, so no surprise! What I want ask is “is Sen. Abaribe and other SE senators sleeping when the allocation is been slashed. Note: am not a an APC or Buhari fan but I hate fake news, when nincompoops will support because if favour their sentiments.