The Senate has passed for second reading the 2025 Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Appropriation Bill of N1.7trillion presented for consideration by President Bola Tinubu.
This followed the presentation of the general principles of the bill by Leader of Senate, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti), at plenary on Wednesday.
Bamidele, having moved for suspension of the senate Standing Rule 7(1), said the suspension of the rule was to enable the second reading of the bill, having earlier been presented for first reading.
He said that the 2025 FCT statutory appropriation bill sought to authorise the issue from the FCT statutory revenue fund total of N1.7 trillion.
Bamidele said that the thrust of the budget proposal was to ensure an effective and enduring service-oriented administration, completion of ongoing projects and the provision of effective services to the residents of the FCT.
He said that the highlights of the capital expenditure of FCT 2025 statutory appropriation bill indicated that N150 billion was for personnel cost and the sum of N343 billion for overhead cost.
He said that the balance of N1.2 trillion was for capital projects for the service of the FCT.
According to him, emphasis is placed on the completion of ongoing projects particularly those with high impact on the provision of services and infrastructure to the FCT residents.
He, however, said few new projects that were considered absolutely necessary had also been included in the budget proposal.
He urged the lawmakers to give the bill an expeditious passage.
Contributing, Sen. Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno), said it was good that the budget was focused on completion of ongoing projects in the FCT.
On his part, Sen. Oyelola Ashiru (APC-Kwara), said that the budget was a balanced document, given its 70 per cent capital component, with 30 per cent earmarked for recurrent expenditure.
Sen. Adetokunbo Abiru (APC-Lagos), who corroborated the argument, said that the budget was developmental in nature, given the substantial proposed expenditure on its capital component.
He, however, said there was the need for the senate to know the source of financing the budget, especially the capital component.
Sen. Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra), said that the FCT was wearing a new look, going by the massive infrastructure development by the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike and his team.
Umeh, however, stressed the need for opening up more adjourning areas in the FCT with infrastructure to reduce high costs of accommodation in the FCT.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that after the bill had passed second reading, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, referred it to the Committee on FCT for further legislative inputs and to report back in one week. (NAN)
