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Tag: State House

  • State House records 99% overhead expenditure implementation – Perm Sec

    State House records 99% overhead expenditure implementation – Perm Sec

    The State House has achieved a remarkable 99% implementation of its overhead expenditure for 2024, Permanent Secretary, Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi, disclosed Tuesday.

    Adebiyi made this known while presenting the 2023/2024 budget implementation to the House of Representatives Committee on Special Duties, which was on an oversight visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to a statement issued by the Director of Information & Public Relations at the State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye, the Permanent Secretary said the total overhead expenditure for 2024 stands at N22.62 billion, spread across seven cost centres.

    Out of the appropriated amount, N15.08 billion has been released, with N14.9 billion already expended, leaving an outstanding balance of N14.5 million.

    Adebiyi also reported a 43% implementation rate for capital projects, with N51.3 billion appropriated and N22 billion spent, attributing the impressive performance to the increased budget allocation approved by the Committee.

    They include State House Headquarters, State House Operations President, State House Operations Vice President, Office of the Chief of Staff, Office of the Chief Security Officer to the President, State House Medical Centre and Lagos Liaison Office.

    ”Out of this appropriated amount, so far as at 31 August 2024, the total sum of N15.08billion has been released to us; and of the said released amount, a total of N14.9billlion has so far been expended during the fiscal year, leaving an outstanding balance of N14.5million. This represents an encouraging performance of 99 percent”, he said.

    The Permanent Secretary also presented the 2023 budget and supplementary budget performances.

    In 2023, N1.653 billion was approved for personnel costs, with N1.653 billion spent, leaving a balance of N439,433.66. Overhead expenditure stood at N8.29 billion, with N8.27 billion expended.

    The State House recorded a 98% implementation rate for capital expenditure in 2023, with N11.2 billion approved and N10.9 billion spent.

    Adebiyi commended the Committee members for their support, stating that the increased allocation has enhanced the State House’s performance in staff welfare and capital projects.

    ”This has gone a long way in enhancing our performance as an important arm of government, especially with regards to the welfare of staff and various capital projects, such as the renovation of the residential quarters of the President, Aguda House, computerization and digitalization of State House, construction of office complex, replacement of operation vehicles and others, ” he said.

    The Permanent Secretary also said that the State House is set to achieve full digitalization of its operations by November 2024.

    Adebiyi said the completion of the computerisation and digitalization process would enhance efficiency, security, and the seamless operation of critical administrative functions at the State House.

    The visit, led by the House Committee Chairman on Special Duties, Hon. Kabir Tukura, was part the of legislators’ statutory oversight to assess the performance of the 2023 and 2024 budgets of the State House.

    The Permanent also briefed the lawmakers on ongoing renovations at Dodan Barracks, Lagos, the former seat of government.

    Read Also: Binance executive rejected State House Clinic’s medical intervention, EFCC tells court

    He noted that the renovations are expected to be completed before the end of the year.

    He invited the legislators for an on-the-spot assessment of the barracks, with funds for the project and others at the Lagos Liaison office sourced from the 2023 supplementary budget and 2024 budget respectively.

    In his remarks, Hon. Tukura expressed satisfaction with the ongoing digital transformation and commended the State House for its commitment to budgetary discipline and modernizing government services.

    ”The 2024 budget is still ongoing and I will say so far, so good. The releases have been made and utilized by almost 98 percent and that is quite commendable. There are no gaps.

    ”The 2023 budget has been completed. Members have asked questions and we have heard the responses from the Permanent Secretary. We are convinced they are doing well,” he said.

  • Buhari inaugurates panel on state legislature, judiciary autonomy

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday inaugurated the Presidential Implementation Committee on Autonomy of the State Legislature and State Judiciary at the State House, Abuja.

    The inauguration, according to the President, was in line with the 4th alteration to the 1999 Constitution.

    The President disclosed that the 16-man committee is to be chaired by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, while the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, will serve as Secretary.

    The President urged the committee to be meticulous and diligent in carrying out the assignment.

    When the implementation is done, the President said that it will ensure proper checks and balances.

    He gave the committee three months to complete the assignment.

    He said: “The setting up of this committee is necessitated by the realization that legislative and judicial autonomy are necessary pre-conditions for our democracy to endure.

    “We are committed to strengthening our democracy by ensuring separation of powers among the three arms of Nigerian government, even at the state levels. Furthermore, we have identified the need to sustain our constitutionally guaranteed federal system of government by building capabilities not only at the federal level but at all the federating units.

    “This committee has, therefore, been set up, as a major reform of this administration to ensure that the autonomy granted to the legislature and judiciary at the state levels is maintained, pursuant to Section 161 of the 4th Alteration to the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).

    “The committee is thus expected to foster effective implementation of the autonomy constitutionally granted the state legislature and judiciary under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).  It is my hope that when this is done, there will be proper checks and balances, and the state legislature and judiciary shall be genuinely empowered to carry out their respective constitutional duties without fear of dominance and or marginalization.

    “The legislature, being the closest arm of government to the people, and the judiciary as the last hope of the common man, must both be seen to be sufficiently independent to perform their respective constitutional roles without any interference, let or hindrance.  In this regard, ensuring that these organs of government enjoy financial autonomy will further enhance their efficiency and independence.”

    In executing the national assignment, he said that the committee is expected to co-operate with all relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance with the constitutional provisions granting autonomy to state legislature and judiciary without deviating from its approved terms of reference.

  • Buhari inaugurates panel on autonomy of state legislature, judiciary

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday inaugurated the Presidential Implementation Committee on Autonomy of the State Legislature and State Judiciary at the State House, Abuja.

    The inauguration of the committee, according to the President, was in line with the 4th alteration to the 1999 Constitution.

    The President disclosed that the 16-man committee is to be chaired by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, while the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, will serve as Secretary.

    The President urged the committee to be meticulous and diligent in carrying out the assignment.

    The implementation of the committee’s assignment, the President said, will ensure proper checks and balances.

    He gave the committee three months to complete the assignment.

    He said: “The setting up of this Committee is necessitated by the realization that legislative and judicial autonomy are necessary pre-conditions for our democracy to endure.

    “We are committed to strengthening our democracy by ensuring separation of powers among the three arms of Nigerian government, even at the state levels.

    “Furthermore, we have identified the need to sustain our constitutionally guaranteed federal system of government by building capabilities, not only at the federal level, but at all the federating units.

    “This committee has therefore been set up as a major reform of this administration, to ensure that the autonomy granted to the legislature and judiciary at state levels is maintained, pursuant to Section 161 of the 4th Alteration to the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).

    “The Committee is thus expected to foster effective implementation of the autonomy constitutionally granted the state legislature and judiciary under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    “It is my hope that when this is done, there will be proper checks and balances, and the state legislature and judiciary shall be genuinely empowered to carry out their respective Constitutional duties without fear of dominance and or marginalization.

    “The Legislature, being the closest arm of government to the people, and the Judiciary as the last hope of the common man, must both be seen to be sufficiently independent to perform their respective constitutional roles without any interference, let or hindrance.

    “In this regard, ensuring that these organs of government enjoy financial autonomy will further enhance their efficiency and independence.”

    In executing the national assignment, he said that the Committee is expected to cooperate with all relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance with the constitutional provisions granting autonomy to state legislature and judiciary, without deviating from its approved terms of reference.

    The terms of reference, he said, included:

    “a) To assess and review the level of compliance by all the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT with Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended);

    “b) To monitor, ensure and cause the implementation of financial autonomy across the judiciary and legislature of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) and other applicable Laws, Instruments, Regulations, and Conventions howsoever providing for financial autonomy for the Legislature and Judiciary at the State tier of Government;

    “c) To consult and relate with the appropriate Federal and State MDAs, including but not limited to the Governors Forum, Accountant General of the Federation and those of the States, the National Economic Council and other institutions of State to ensure and, where necessary, enforce the implementation of Constitutional provisions;

    “d) To come up with appropriate modalities or model to be adopted by all the States of the Federation for implementation and/or compliance with Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended);

    “e) To advise on other measures that are deemed necessary or incidental to the fulfilment of the aims of the Committee to attain the full purport of this assignment.”

  • I’ve no regrets being honest person, says Buhari 

    …No one can accuse me of stealing – Buhari

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja said he had no regrets being a person of honesty and integrity.

    He made the remark while receiving a delegation of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria at the State House.

    According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said “I am satisfied with what I am. I am happy I have kept myself and people close to me from benefiting from government contracts,”

    President Buhari said he did not award contracts and did not care about who got them so long as they did a good job at a cost that is justifiable to the nation.

    He added “I have been in many places including Ministry of Petroleum. I would have gone to jail if I had taken an oil well. For integrity and honesty, I have no regrets. By this, I have contributed to my social safety. I won’t go to jail.”

    The President, who said he had been accused of many things, said his critics cannot accuse him of stealing. “You cannot accuse me of stealing,” he said,

    He went on “I have appointed ministers and they are in charge. I appeal to their integrity. When they come here (Federal Executive Council) Chambers, we ensure they follow the due process.”

    Read Also:Buhari to punish military officers selling Urhobo lands

    President Buhari also responded to a number of issues raised by the delegation, including complaints that Muslims had been marginalised in appointments to government institutions such as the military and the civil service.

    The President said this illustrated how difficult his job is because he faced the same criticism from adherents of other faiths.

    “I am in a difficult situation,” he admitted.

    On the burning issue of violent conflicts in some parts of country, President Buhari said he was putting in his best.

    He said that following his dissatisfaction with the performance of the Police in Zamfara State, he ordered a massive transfer of officers and men who had stayed three years and above in the troubled State.

    The President appealed to the religious leaders to instruct their followers on the importance of possessing their own voters’ cards which he described as a “national entitlement,” and to preach justice to all which is an instituted pillar of Islam.

    Buhari, who revealed that he had received a “stiff bill” from the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, for the restoration of the dilapidated infrastructure and facilities of federal government-owned radio stations in all states of the federation, promised that something would be done.

    Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Vice-President, Sheikh Hadiyyatullahi Abdulrashid commended President Buhari for accomplishing much of what he promised before his election. He likened him to the captain of a capsizing ship and the messiah needed by the country.

    Sheikh Abdulrashid also spoke about the alleged marginalisation of Muslims, violent conflicts between farmers and herders, the problems of drug abuse among youths and the fate of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Kaduna, among other issues.

  • No security vote for State House in 2018, says Udoma

    •N13.28bn EEG tax credit to support export

    Contrary to a claim by Amnesty International (AI) that the Presidency has widened its security votes’ net, there is no line item classified as Security Vote in the State House budget in the N9.1 trillion 2018 Appropriation Act. The international watchdog got its facts wrong, Budget & National Planning Minister Udoma Udo Udoma, said during the budget breakdown in Abuja yesterday, reports Nduka Chiejina.

    There is no provision for Presidential Villa securityin this year’s budget, the Budget and National Planning Minister Udoma Udo Udoma  said yesterday.

    Addressing reporters during the breakdown of the 2018 Budget after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Appropriation Bill into law on Wednesday, Senator Udoma denied claims that the Presidency was siphoning money out of the system using security votes.

    “Owing to the growing number of internal security issues, a provision of N75 billion was made for these exercises in the Service-wide votes, not State House vote, in 2018,” Udoma said.

    The minister denied an Amnesty International (AI) report titled “Camouflaged cash: How ‘Security Votes’ fuel corruption in Nigeria”, which ”indicated, in part, that the Presidency is not only appropriating but “has increased the number of security votes tucked into the Federal Budget in the last two years.”

    In a response to reporters’ questions during the briefing in Abuja, the minister said: “There is no line item as Security vote in the State House Budget.”

    According to him, “provisions for security-related matters are contained in the detailed Budgets of the Ministry of Defence, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Department of State Security (DSS) etc.”

    “There are also provisions for military interventions in the Northeast (insurgency) – Operation Lafiya Dole, as well as other specific operations of the Armed forces such as Operation Python Dance, Operation Crocodile Smile and very recently and Operation Cat Race, among others”, Udoma said.

    AI defines security votes as “budgeted funds provided to certain federal, state and local government officials to spend at their discretion.. They are budgeted separately from planned security expenditures, such as personnel salaries, allowances, equipment, training and operational expenses.”

    Commenting on other aspects of the budget, Udoma stated that the government was “in a hurry to implement the N9.1 trillion 2018 Budget”.

    He also maintained that the “President Muhammadu Buhari administration would work hard to realise the N7.165 trillion revenue projection”.

    The minister revealed that the N1.5 trillion deficit contained in the budget “would be financed through borrowing from both domestic and international capital markets”.

    “The Federal Government”, he said, “has set up a commitee on the divestment of its  assets in the oil industry as a measure of increasing the administration’s revenue profile.

    “The revenue boosting measures to be employed by the governemnt in the 2018 fiscal year from the oil sector  include: New funding mechanism for JV operations, allowing for Cost Recovery in lieu of previous cash call arrangement; additional oil-related revenue, including royalty recovery, new/marginal field licences, early licensing renewals; and review of the fiscal regime for Oil Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs).

    “Besides, government plans to restructure its equity in JV oil assets, with proceeds to be reinvested in other assets, to improve efficiencies in the operations of the JVs and position them for better revenue performance in the future.

    “Other revenue sources being pursued by the government are planned increases  in excise duty rates on alcohol and tobacco; tax administration improvement initiatives to positively affect collection efficiencies across various tax categories, e.g., Tax amnesty programme.”

    The government, Udoma said, has taken on-board some key reform initiatives contained in the Economic Recovery & Growth Plan (ERGP) in the budget, such as the deployment of new technology to improve revenue collection; upward review of tariffs and tax rates where appropriate; stronger enforcement; action against tax defaulters; improving government-owned Enterprises (GOEs’) revenue performance by reviewing their operational efficiency and cost-to-income ratios and generally ensuring they operate in more fiscally responsible manner.

    The distribution of expected Federal Government revenue for 2018  are as follows: Oil Revenue  (41.7 per cent)  CIT (9.2 per cent); VAT (2.9 per cent); Customs (4.5 per cent); Independent Revenue (11.8 per cent); Recoveries (7.2 per cent); Tax Amnesty (1.2 per cent); Signature Bonus (1.6 per cent); JV Equity Restructuring (9.9 per cent);  Grants and Donor Funding ( 2.8 per cent); and Others ( 7.2 per cent).

    Some projects to be executed  in the Appropriation Act include:

     

    Transport

    • N162.28 billion Counterpart funding for Railway projects including: • Lagos-Kano (ongoing) • Calabar-Lagos (ongoing) • Ajaokuta-Itakpe-Aladja (Warri ) (ongoing) • Port Harcourt – Maiduguri (new) • Kano-Katsina-Jibiya-Maradi in Niger Republic (new) • Abuja-Itakpe and Aladja (Warri)-Warri Port and Refinery including Warri New Harbour (new) • N530.8 million construction of terminal building at Enugu Airport • N8.32 billion Construction of second runway of Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja

     

    Power

    • N9.4 billion set aside as counterpart fund for the Mambilla hydro power project • N9.7 billion counterpart funding for earmarked transmission lines and substations. • N2.2 billion construction of 215MW LPFO/ gas power station Kaduna. • N3.4 billion Kashimbilla Transmission. • N14.2 billion Fast Power Programme Accelerated Gas and Solar Power Generation.

     

    Housing

    • N26.7 billion Federal Government National Housing Programme

     

    Works

    • About N344 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of several roads nationwide, including: • Lagos-Sagamu-Ibadan Dual Carriageway • Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa-Bokani Road • Abuja-Abaji Road, • Kano-Maiduguri Road • Enugu-Port-Harcourt Dual Carriageway • Odupkani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene Road • Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Kontagora-Makera Road, • Dualisation of Obajana Junction to Benin, • Calabar-Ugep-Kastina Ala Road, • Onitsha-Enugu Dual Carriageway, • Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, • Benin-Ofosu-Ore-Ajebandele-Sagamu Expressway Phase lll • Kotangora – Bangi Road.
    • About N344 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of several roads nationwide: • Bodo-Bonny Road with a bridge across the Opobo channel. In Rivers State. • Apapa – Oshodi express way in Lagos (Phase II Sections I & II) • Nnenwe-Oduma-Mpu (Enugu State) -Uburu (Ebonyi State) • Ningi -Yadagungume- Fuskar Mata Road Phase II In Bauchi State, • Oju/Loko – Oweto Bridge to link Loko And Oweto with approach Roads • Otuocha – Anam- Nzam- Innoma – Iheaka- Ibaji Section of Otuocha – Ibaji – Odulu -Ajegwu In Anambra / Kogi States, • Oba – Nnewi Road Section II in Anambra State • Ogrute (Enugu State) – Akpanya – Odolu (Kogi State) Road Section II with extension to Obollo Afor. • Tamawa – Gulu Road at Rimin Gado LGA in Kano State • Jalingo – Kona – Lau – Karim Road Phase I in Taraba State, etc.

     

    Health

    • N55.15 billion Provisioned for the implementation of the National Health Act • N2.4 billion to match grant from UNFPA, USAID, UNICEF; • N1.3 billion for Strategic Joint Venture Investments in selected Tertiary Health Institutions with Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) • N8.9 billion for procurement of RI vaccines and devices, • N3 billion for Counterpart funding including global fund, health, and GAVI • N300 million for Health Emergencies & Contagious Diseases Outbreaks (E.g Meningitis, measles, yellow fever, monkey pox, etc) • N200 million for Midwives Service Scheme, • N1.2 billion Polio Eradication Initiative, • N1. billion Training/central procurement of 300,000 dialysis consumables.

     

    Water Resources

    • N1.8 billion Zobe Water Supply Project – Phase I & II • N1 billion for Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) • N1 billion for Special Intervention for North East and IDPs – Potable of Portable Water • Over N53 billion for water supply, rehabilitation of dams, and irrigation projects nationwide.

     

    Agriculture & Rural Development

    • N4.2 billion for Rural Roads and Water Sanitation programme; • Over N25.1 billion for Promotion and Development of Value Chain across in more than 30 different commodities, • N5.30 billion for National Grazing Reserve Development • N3.53 billion for Agribusiness and Market Development • N4.08 billion for Food and Strategic Reserves, • N2 billion for Supply, Installation & Commissioning of Water Rigs Nationwide, • N1.13 billion for FGN Support for Youths in Agribusiness, • N2 billion for Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise (LIFE) Programme

     

    Mines & Steel Development

    • N644 million for the establishment of minning regulatory agency for the sector, • N450 million for the reclamation of abandoned mines sites.

     

    Industry, Trade & Investment

    Special Economic Zone Projects. N44.2 billion for ongoing and planned Special Economic Zone Projects across the geopolitical zones to drive manufacturing / exports. Completion of feasibility Studies, Master Planning, Engineering Design, EIA and other pre-development Costs in Enugu, Gombe, Nnewi, Kwara, Abuja, Bauchi, Rivers/Bayelsa, Edo/Delta, Taraba/Adamawa, Benue/Plateau, Sokoto/Kebbi. Completion of Lekki Model Textile and Garment Industrial Park. FGN investment in Enyimba Industrial Park, and Ibom Deep Sea Port and City.

     

    Export-Expansion Grant (EEG)

    N13.28 billion in the form of tax credit to support export via the Export Expansion Grant; Recapitalisation of Bank of Industry (BOI) and Bank of Agriculture (BoA); N15 billion provisioned to support these development finance institutions to support Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs).

     

    Education

    N3.4 billion provisioned as Take-off Grant for Maritime University; N1.8 billion for Payment of 5000 Federal Teachers Scheme Allowance; N417 million for Construction of National Library of Nigeria; N9.2 billion for various Scholarship allowances.

     

    Niger Delta

    N20.29 billion for various sections of the East-West Road; N2.38 billion for Section III from Port-Harcourt Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction.

     

    Regional Interventions:

    N65 billion for reintegration of transformed ex-militants under the Presidential Amnesty Programme. N45 billion for Federal Initiative for North-East (Pilot Counterpart funding contribution).

     

    SDGs

    N11.3 billion for SDGs Intervention Programmes, N36.4 billion for other SDGs Projects

     

    Special Intervention Programme

    N500 billion for FGN Special Intervention Programme (including Home Grown; School Feeding Programme, Government Economic Empowerment Programme, and N-Power Job Creation Programme, Conditional Cash Transfers etc).

  • Buhari becomes Red Cross grand patron

    President Muhammadu Buhari was on Monday decorated at the Grand Patron of the National Red Cross Society at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The event, where he was decorated by the National President of the Society, Bolaji Anami, took place at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja.

    Buhari said “I appreciate this honour bestowed on me.”

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    The President specifically thanked the Society for its supports in the North East and the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.

    He assured the Society that the Federal Government will look at its challenges.

     

    Details Later…

  • 2018 budget: Govt votes N1b for State House Clinic

    2018 budget: Govt votes N1b for State House Clinic

    •No details of National Assembly’s N125b

    The Executive has proposed to spend N1,030,458,453 on the State House Clinic under the Presidency’s total estimate of N51,445,678,808 in the 2018 Budget proposal.

    The clinic came under focus recently when the President’s wife, Hajia Aisha Buhari, criticised it for being without “ordinary syringe” and unable to treat anyone.

    The breakdown of the State House Medical Centre’s expenditure includes the proposed allocation of N408 million for medical equipment, N146 million for the completion of the dental wing’s extension and N120 million for construction of two blocks of 24 units three bedroom flats.

    The National Assembly is expected to begin the screening of the budget next week. Approval is likely to be end of the year so as to return the country to the January-December budget cycle.

    The details of the National Assembly’s N125 billion estimate remain undisclosed. That has been the case since 1999 in spite of the leadership’s transparency promise.

    Some expenditure to be undertaken at the Presidency include N145 million for food stuff / catering materials supplies, N165 million for maintenance of motor vehicle / transport equipment, N132 million on fuel & lubricants, N67 million for vehicles’ fuel, N45 million for generator fuel, N18 million on gas, N135,668,651 on refreshment & meals while honorarium & sitting allowance is to take N478,313,996.

    Also, ongoing rehabilitation work on the Presidency’s animal enclosure and procurement of its veterinary  lab equipment is to cost N12,489,655, upgrade of the presidential villa ranch and construction of wildlife mini-zoo is proposed at a cost of N28,908,625 while N24 million is for local flowers’ nursery, irrigation and upgrade of a helipad grass field.

    Also, annual routine maintenance of mechanical/electrical installations at the Presidential villa is proposed for N4,860,392,146, outstanding liabilities on routine maintenance and other services for 2016 is allocated N565. 6 million while N83. 7 million is allocated for the purchase of tyres for bullet proof vehicles, trucks, jeeps, ambulance and other utility vehicles.

    The routine maintenance of State House Lagos facilities (Dodan Barracks, VP Residence/Guest Houses at Ikoyi) is to be undertaken at a cost of N145,869,150 under the 2018 national budget.

    Also proposed is over N25.5 billion to be spent on surveillance activities across the country.

    Nigeria will be strengthening its security architecture with some high tech surveillance infrastructure in 2018.

    In the vanguard of this intense surveillance operation is the Directorate of State Security Service (DSS) that plans to purchase a social media minning suite for N2,213,456,360.

    Also in 2018, the DSS has proposed to spend N 1,006,200,000 on surveillance drones with precision camera and IMSI payload capabilities.

  • What State House Medical Centre got since 2015, by perm sec

    Permanent Secretary of the State House Jalal A. Arabi yesterday explained that the State House Medical Centre only received 33 per cent of capital allocations and 48 per cent of recurrent expenditure from 2015 to 2017 budget.

    He made the clarification in a statement issued by Deputy Director (Information) in the State House, Attah Esa.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Presidency has been drawn to recent media reports suggesting that the State House Medical Centre had received N11.01billion as appropriation for the period 2015-2017.

    “According to the Permanent Secretary, State House, Jalal A. Arabi, contrary to the above claims, out of the total capital appropriation of N2,941,062,044.00 and recurrent appropriation of N465,935,358.00 for the period under reference, only the sum of N969,681,821.53 (representing 32.97 per cent) for capital and N225,575,200.60 (representing 48.41 per cent) for recurrent was actually released.

    “Arabi also said it may interest the public to know that there was zero capital allocation for the Medical Centre in 2017, while out of the N331,730,211.00 being recurrent appropriation for 2017, the actual amount released up to September was N91,370,053.60 (representing only 27.54 per cent).

    “The Permanent Secretary emphasised that the above figures are verifiable from the Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning.”

    Permanent Secretary observed that during the three-year period under review (indeed two years since no capital allocation for 2017), and despite the shortfalls between budgetary provisions and actual releases, the medical centre continued to provide free services to the over 10,000 registered patients annually.

    According to him, the centre has also continued to execute on-going projects.

    Giving further insight into the scope of the medical centre’s clientele, Arabi stressed that apart from the Presidency, other beneficiaries of the free services include political appointees, the military, para-military, other security agencies, members of the National Assembly and the public.

  • Osinbajo receives Togolese President in Aso Rock

    Osinbajo receives Togolese President in Aso Rock

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday evening received the President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo in his office at the State House, Abuja.

    The meeting was shortly after Osinbajo received a message from the President of the Republic of Niger, Issoufou Mahamadou.

    The message was delivered by the Minister of Petroleum of the Republic Niger, Foumakoye Gado.

    Details of the meetings were still unknown at the time of filing this report.

    No official statement concerning the two meetings have been issued as at press time.

     

  • State House Permanent Secretary not suspended

    The Presidency on Friday denied media reports claiming that the Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr Jalal Arabi, has been suspended.

    A statement by the Deputy Director (Information), Abiodun Oladunjoye said that Mr Arabi was at his desk on Friday dutifully attending to important state matters.

    The statement also noted that Arabi is not under any probe, and neither is he a subject of any enquiry.

    “Also, there is absolutely no truth in the spurious allegations levelled against the Permanent Secretary and his office in the fictitious report published by an on-line medium.

    “I remain committed and dedicated to the professional discharge of my duties and I refuse to be distracted by adversarial forces,” Mr Arabi was quoted in the statement

    The Permanent Secretary also attended Juma’at prayer at the State House mosque with other Muslim faithful with President Muhammadu Buhari in attendance.