….. Aso Rock says N5.196billion so far been released from its 2016 budget
To reduce medical tourism especially by political office holders, the National Assembly on Thursday said they were considering increasing the budget of the State House to allow them upgrade the medical facilities to world standard.
A House of Representatives Committee on Special Duties which visited the State House Medical Centre, Abuja on an oversight function said it will be recommending an increase in the appropriation of the country’s number one office to allow it meet its infrastructural obligations.
The committee led by its chairman, Nasir Daura also said the criticisms often leveled against the administration of the State House especially in respect of the State House Medical Centre were unfounded.
President Muhammadu Buhari who is currently on vacation and possibly running medical checkups according to the presidency, for a third time in one year had promised to end medical tourism in the country.
Reports say Nigeria loose about $1billion yearly to medical tourism.
Nigerians have continued to raise concerns over why it’s political class prefer to access medical help abroad while facilities in the country remain in a deplorable state.
“By God’s Grace, we will suggest to our Appropriations Committee and now that we have been here, we have seen it, we can better appreciate the challenges that they are facing.
“So, in that sense, I think it is a bit under the belt for us to go and grab them by the jugular to say that they don’t do this or they don’t have that. It is basically a free service they render by professional for and on behalf of the people of Nigeria” he said.
On the president using the hospital for his medical check-up Daura “We are working towards that. I think 2016 when this same question was raised, it is as a result of the President’s desire to be treated or the those that run the government to be treated and catered for within Nigeria by our own professionals using equipment of world’s standard. This is why this place was created and the idea is to try to get to attain that standard that we so desire. We are coming along. For me, it is a bit slow but we are getting there eventually”.
Meanwhile, the State House Abuja on Thursday said it has received a total of N5.196billion as capital release from the 2016 budget amounting to 47.5 percent of it’s budget.
This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Jalal Arabi who said of the released amount N4.8billion (93.1%) has so far been expended on the projects for which the funds were tied and released. A balance of N5.745billion representing 52.5 percent is yet to be released.
Arabi also disclosed that for the 2017 budget, the State House had re-prioritised projects in the Medical Centre and suspended most of its capital expenditure proposals for now. The state house will however, take advantage of the supplementary budget window when necessary. 2017 budget has been reviewed downwards to N13,567,979,278.72 for 2017 from N16,563,395,992.00.
All allocations for the 2016 recurrent expenditure have been received up to and including the month of December 2016, on the other hand, the capital releases were made for three out of five subheads in the State House budget, Arabi told Members of the House Committee on Special Duties during their oversight visit to the State House, Abuja.
The House Committee on Special Duties which was inaugurate by the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, was led by the chairman Nasiru Daura.
While the State House headquarters, State House medical centre and State House Lagos liaison office received releases, no releases were made for the Chief of Staff and the Office of the Chief Security Officer to the President. Both releases are still pending.
In November last year Arabi told the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs who visited on an oversight function that the State House had received N2.71 billion for recurrent expenditure, representing 70.69 per cent . A total of N3.06 billion had also been released amounting to 27.9 per cent of the capital appropriation for 2016.
Explaining the new releases Arabi said “The state house capital budget has always been situated in five cost centres as against seven under the recurrent, with a total appropriation of N11,140,852,010.
However, releases were only made to three cost centres.
“N5,196,581,458.64 was released to date amounting to 47% of the amount appropriated, leaving a balance of N5,745,905,910.36 and representing 52.5%.
“Of the released amount N4,839,238,955.97(93.1%) has so far been expended on the projects for which the funds were tied and released” Jalal said.
“We are still expecting additional releases before the end of March especially on hospital equipment to enable us conclude some of the procurements as per the budget.”
Arabi also said the 2017 budget has become less ambitious than the 2016 appropriation as personnel, overhead and capital costs were minimally reviewed upwards.
“The state house estimates are all based on existing projects that are classified as ongoing and that are simply rolled over from the 2016 appropriation and so, have the potential of being reduced in case additional realises are made for the projects before the end of the extended implementation period (March 2017). There is therefore no newly conceived project for the 2017.
“We have equally re-prioritised the State House Medical Centre projects which are undergoing a review, hence the suspension of all the capital expenditure proposals for now. We shall however take advantage of the supplementary budget widow when necessary” Arabi said.
Earlier the chairman of the committee said the they had come to determine the level of implementation of the 2016 budget as well as on a fact finding mission to inspect completed and ongoing projects at the State House.
According to him this will help the correct the ongoing misinformation about State House, as well as to curb corruption and ensure that the country comes out of recession.
By Elizabeth Archibong
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