By Our Correspondent
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 2024 budget of N1.1trillon passed second reading at the Senate on Thursday.
statutory revenue account Senate has passed for second reading, a bill seeking to authorise issuance from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) statutory revenue account.
The passage of the bill for second reading, followed its presentation by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central).
Giving highlights of the FCT Appropriation Bill Opeyemi said N140 billion was earmarked for personnel cost, while N280 billon was for overhead cost and N726 billon is for capital projects.
He said the thrust of the FCT administration budget, commencing from January 1 to Dec 31, 2024 was to provide effective and most enduring service oriented administration for completion of ongoing projects for residents of the FCT.
Deputy President of Senate Barau Jibrin (Kano North) commended the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike for presenting the budget on time, saying that the early presentation was a good start for the FCT administration.
He urged the lawmakers to give the bill expeditious passage given the plan and proposed programmes outlined by the minister during his meeting with the senators.
Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North) said it was good for the senate to give expeditious passage, giving the issues that required attention in the FCT.
Senator Binos Yaroe (Adamawa South) said the FCT minister is a performing minister, hence the need to give the bill expeditious passage to ensure execution of projects and other services in the FCT.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks after the bill passed second reading, assured that the bill, presented earlier than usual would be “expeditiously considered and passed to encourage the minister of the FCT to advance reforms in the nation’s capital”.
The bill, was thereafter referred to the Committee on FCT for further legislative inputs and to report back on the next legislative day.
KC
