The Senate Wednesday passed for third reading, N607.952billion 2022 Appropriation bill for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
Breakdown of the budget showed that the sum of N76,565,904,857 is for Personnel Costs and N138,199,851,110 is for Overhead Costs while the balance of N393,182,267,614 is earmarked for Capital Expenditure.
The Senate approved the FCT budget following the consideration of the report of its committee on FCT headed by the Chairman Senator Smart Adeyemi ( APC Kogi West ).
Addressing newsmen shortly after the passage of the Appropriation bill , Senator Smart Adeyemi listed some critical areas that the new budget seeks to address in the capital territory.
He said the National Assembly deliberately put the Capital Expenditure at 64 per cent of the total budget to ensure that all ongoing projects are completed for the benefit of residents of the FCT.
He also disclosed that a lot of money is earmarked for education in order to provide more class rooms and other necessary education materials in all FCT schools.
“During our oversight activities to schools in FCT, we are shocked to discover that more than 80 pupils are put in one class room and this cannot guarantee quality education. We must ensure that education environment are descent and infrastructures are provided,” he said.
He added that money has been provided in the budget for the expansion and rehabilitation of Lower Usman Dam for adequate provision of potable water for the entire residents of the territory.
Similarly, some of the hospitals in the territory such as Maitama District Hospital, Wuse District Hospital, Asokoro District Hospital, Kubwa District Hospital as well as FCT Semi-Urban Districts Hospital and FCT Satellite District Hospitals will be given deserved attention.
On security, Senator Adeyemi said with the passage of the 2022 FCT budget, insecurity will be drastically reduced as security lights would be provided in roads and strategic places in the territory.
He however explained that the delay in the passage of the 2022 budget will not affect the capital implementation aspect of the budget.
