Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has expressed fear that it could be difficult for President Muhammadu Buhari to actualise his vision for the Niger- Delta Region at this time of paucity of fund .
Akpabio stated this Tuesday at the 2021 budget presentation before the Senate Committee on Niger. Delta Affairs.
According to him, for the Ministry in recent years , it has been gross underfunding in form of inadequate and dwindling budgetary allocations and releases with attendant abandoned and uncompleted projects in the region .
He therefore solicited for the assistance of the Committee in shooting up the ministry’s budgetary allocations.
Citing the 2021 budgetary allocation as example, Akpabio said the total sum of N26,592,560900400 proposed for the Ministry of Niger Delta for the fiscal year is considered meagre and significantly inadequate in the face of the mandate and goals of the Ministry to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the Niger Delta region.
“The capital estimate reveals that the sum of N15,,000,000,000billion out of N19,533,720,033 billion for capital infrastructure project was allocated to the East -West Road (Sections I- IV) alone, on the order of Mr. President. This leaves N4,533,720,033 for the other infrastructural projects”, he said .
He lamented further that gross inadequate funding has led to; derailment of the programmes of engagement of youths and women of the region, reduced training for knowledge acquisition, poor performance and protracted delay in project delivery and intermittent disruption by youths who chase away contractors from sites.
Soliciting the assistance of the Committee, the minister said “Mr. Chairman, distinguished members, arising from the dwindling budgetary allocation and the increasing level of outstanding liabilities, we wish to solicit additional funding to enable the Ministry deliver on Mr. President’s mandate for the Niger Delta region”.
A total budgetary proposal of the sum of N26,592,560,040 billion was allocated to the Ministry comprising of N1,443,111,339 for Personnel, N877,089,120 for Overhead and N24,272,359,581 for Capital.
Giving a breakdown of the 2020 budget performance, the minister said “a total sum of N23.45bn was approved as 2020 appropriation after the national budget was amended due to the effect of Covid -19 pandemic.
“The capita,l overheads and personnel expenditure budget were in the sum of N21.71bn, N600.1m and N1.14bn respectively.
The releases in respect of capital, overheads and personnel expenditure were N10.86bn, N432.64m and N1.026bn, representing 50%, 72% and 99% respectively.
The performance in terms of funds released us 10%, 86% and 99% for capital, overheads and personnel expenditure respectively”.
Akpabio was accompanied by the Minister of State in the ministry, Sen. Tayo Alasoadura and Directors .
