ABUJA – Senate of the Federal Republic yesterday, approved total Budget package of N241,455,285,471 for the Federal Capital Territory in the 2016 fiscal year.
Of the suum, N52,982,280,360 was earmarked for Personnel Cost, while N34,388,260,823 has been allocated to Overhead Cost.
Also, N154,084,744,288 representing 64 per cent of the total sum has been proposed for Capital Expenditure.
Later in a press briefing, Senate Committee chairman on FCT, Sen. Dino Melaye assured that his Committee would step its oversight function for improved Budget performance.
He also stressed the need for improved Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and decent looking Abuja noting, “Abuja must be clean; street light must work; abandoned vehicles must be cleared from the way”.
Sen. Melaye further told journalists that about 80 per cent of the Capital budget would be devoted to completion of abandoned projects.
Meanwhile, the Senate has set aside, 37 petitions against lopsided appointment of career ambassadors and resolved to go ahead and screen the 47 names earlier submitted to them by President Mohammadu Buhari.
Presenting his committee report on the matter, Senate vice-chairman on Foreign Affairs, Sen. Shehu Sani told the senators that there was no merit in the petitions as the omitted states, particularly Bayelsa, Ondo, Kogi, Plateau, Benue and Taraba did not meet the criteria for the appointments.
He however explained that non-career ambassadors would be appointed among politicians to fill the gaps.
The committee therefore recommended that the Senate do proceed with the screening and urged the executive to quickly submit the list of non-career ambassadors.
It also urged the government to in the future, sustain the tradition of simultaneous submission of carrer and non-career ambassadorial list to the Senate for necessary approval.
The Senate thereafter adopted the recommendation of the committee and resolved to commence screening of the nominees as soon as possible.
President Buhari had on June 9, 2016, forwarded a list of 47 career ambassadors to the Senate for approval, but he was greeted with petitions, alleging disregard for Federal Character Principle and non-representation of some states among others.
