FG approves N650bn to improve social, infrastructure development

Federal Government has approved N650 billion for social and infrastructural development programmes.

Zainab Ahmed, minister of state for budget and planning, disclosed this Monday, saying this was part of 2017 budget aimed at revamping the country’s economy.

Ahmed, while delivering her speech in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, during a North Central town hall meeting ‎for the people of Kogi, Niger and host state, Kwara by the Federal Government, said 2017 budget focused on “economic recovery and growth for 2017/2020” sequel to identified critical areas in 2016 that needed to be addressed.

Parts of the challenges of the ministry, according to Ahmed, include: crude oil shortage resulting from civilisation of oil facilities, significant scarcity of foreign exchange, high inflation rate and pressure on foreign exchange reserve and general slowdown in component sectors, which has contributed lower quality and non-performing loan.

She said, “The 2017 budget was designed to expand partnership between the private sector and the government to foster growth and develop infrastructure projects. We discovered serious infrastructure deficit, that is why we planned to improve infrastructure such as the road, railway, water, agriculture, electricity, power and the rest to attain quick and positive economic retreat.”

Giving the breakdown, she said: “We made provision of N100 billion for social housing to deepen market system, and ensure access to housing across the federation.

“Also, N50 billion for industrial pact designed to attract capital from private sector, and N500 billion for empowerment programme, aimed at providing jobs for 5,000 and 2,000 already employed, general enterprise programme meant to give fund for SME enterprise among others. All these were put in place to achieve macroeconomic stability, diversification, improve business and be able to compete globally.”

Earlier, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, culture and tourism, warned Nigerians making statement that could cause religious disharmony, saying “no nation has ever survived religious war.”

The minister, who said the essence of the town hall meeting was to provide Nigerians the opportunity to interact with those in government and get feedback on what government was doing to provide good governance, cautioned those accusing the Federal Government of attempting to Islamise Nigeria and describing it as “the most dangerous state for Christians to live” as doing disservice to Nigeria.”

‎He said such statement coming from religious leaders and being reported in some sections of local and international media were “false” and should be disregarded.

The minister said those peddling such provocative statements were doing so for their political motive but warned that they would also share in the consequence that might befall the nation due to such campaigns.

“All those who are spreading negative allegations against Nigeria should not forget that they may succeed in giving Nigeria bad name in the committee of Nations, they too will not escape the consequences,” he said

Also speaking, Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transport, said the Federal Government heard the cries of Nigerians about the state of the economy, urging them to be patient with the government.

He said, “We did not promise you that those challenges will be solved in one year, if we promise you that those challenges would be solved in one year you would have given us one year but you gave us four years mandate so wait till the end of four years.”

While giving stewardship of his ministry, the minister said the failure of the national assembly to approve the federal government’s borrowing plan from the China was holding the government back‎ urging the people from the three states to prevail on the National Assembly to approve the loan.

He said the loan, if accessed would enable the Federal Government to embark on the revitalisation of rail projects that would create more jobs for Nigerians.

Among other ministers who gave their stewardship were Isaac Adewole, minister for health, Sulyman Adamu, minster for water resources, Abubakar Bawa Bwauari, minister of state for solid mineral, and Aishat Abubakar, minister of state industry, trade and investment.