Abuja – Acting president Yemi Osinbajo yesterday writes to the House of Representatives requesting for a Virement of N135.6 billion to some critical priority projects in the 2017 budget.
This request which was contained in a letter submitted to the House was read on the floor of the House by the Speaker, Rt., Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
The Acting President drew the attention of the house to discussions and agreements between the two arms before the 2017 appropriation bill was signed into law on June 12.
In his Explanation, Osinbajo said that Part of the agreement was that the executive should submit a Virement proposal to move some funds from within the budget to other critical items in the budget.
Some of the Ministries affected by the Virement include the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development.
Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Education, Federal Capital Territory Administration and Ministry of Health Headquarters were among others.
Details of the document showed that the sum of N46 billion is to be vired within projects of Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing while N66 billion is to be vired within projects of Federal Ministry of Transportation.
Sources of the Virement include: N33.25 billion from Ministry of Transportation; N3.18 billion from Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing; N14.13 billion from Office of the Secretary to the Government of Federation; N5 billion from Office of the National Security Adviser; N5.01 billion from Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and N5.41 billion from Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.
The sum of N1 billion is to be vired within projects of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; N7.70 billion from Federal Ministry of Interior and N80.50 million from Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.
N3.15 billion from Federal Ministry of Defense; N770 million from Federal Ministry of Education; N1.7 billion from Federal Capital Territory Administration and N1.3 billion from Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.
Others include: N1 billion from Federal Ministry of Health; N735.04 million from office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; N1.09 billion from Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
N729 million from Federal Ministry of Information and Culture; N734 million
from Federal Ministry of Communication and Technology; N2.39 billion from Federal Ministry of Water Resources; N1 billion from Federal Ministry of Mines and Steels Development; N241 million from Federal Ministry of Environment,
respectively.
The Communication from the Acting President stated that the specific appropriated items to be vired to are contained in schedule 1.
While the specific appropriated items from which to vired the amount required are contained in schedule 2.
Osinbajo therefore implored the urgent consideration of the Virement proposal in order to support collective efforts to improve the well-being of Nigerians.
The proposal was however referred to the House Committee on Appropriation by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara who presided over plenary.
