The House of Representatives has approved N162.066 billion budget for Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the period ending on December 31, 2021.
This followed the consideration of the report of the House committee on telecommunications by the committee of supply, chaired by the speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, at a plenary on Wednesday.
Out of the total of N162.066 billion, N61.540 billion is proposed as recurrent expenditure, N17. 031 billion as capital expenditure, N34.493 billion for special projects, while N7 billion is for transfer to the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF).
According to the report, N42.001 billion would be transferred to the Federal Government of Nigeria and N13.204 billion as USPF budget.
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The report presented by chairman of the committee on telecommunications, Akeem Adeyemi said: “Issue from the statutory revenue fund of the Nigerian Communications Commission, the total of N162,066,931,000.00, of which N61,540,960, 000. 00 is for recurrent expenditure, N17,031,099, 000.00 is for capital expenditure, N34,493,333, 000.00 is for special projects, while N7, 000, 000, 000. 00 is for transfer to the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), N42, 001, 539, 000.00 will be transferred to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“And N13,204,237,128. 00 is for the budget of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) for the period ending December 31, 2021”.
Meanwhile, the House amended the Appropriation Act, 2020 to extend the expiration period of capital expenditure in the act beyond December 31, 2020.
This is as a Bill for an Act to amend the Appropriation Act, 2020 to extend the expiration period of capital expenditure in the Act beyond December 31, 2020, passed through second reading and report considered by the committee of supply. The minister of finance, budget and national planning, Zainab Ahmed had in a communication read by House leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa on Tuesday, said there was pressure on the agencies of the government to meet their responsibilities.
Ado-Doguwa said the minister was calling on the National Assembly to extend the timeline of implementation for capital projects through the use of legislative tools to do what is right so that Nigerians can benefit from funds available after the expiration of the timeline of the budget.
He pleaded with members to approve the plea as it was not going to affect the resolve of the House to maintain the January-December budget timeline.
In his intervention, the speaker, Gbajabiamila agreed that the effects of Covid-19 were not prepared for, hence the need to consider and approve the plea for the benefits of Nigerians.
Gbajabiamila, however, pointed out that the proposed amendment of the 2020 appropriation Act cannot be done by way of a motion but through an amendment bill, and directed it be scheduled for the next legislative sitting date and given expeditious passage for the good of Nigerians.
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