The Senate has uncovered insertion of N11 billion in the proposed 2023 budget of the Ministry of Defence.
Bashir Magashi, minister of defence, a retired major general, while defending his Ministry budget, came under scrutiny of members of the Senate Committee on Defence, over the development, when he appeared before them.
The N11 billion, according to the vice chairman of the Committee, Itsifanus Gyang, comprise of N8.6 billion earmarked for procurement of military hardwares/equipment and N2.25 billion for Safe School initiatives.
“Hon. Minister, in the proposed 2023 budget of your ministry, N8.6 billion is discovered to have been allocated for purchase of military hardwares and N2.25 billion for Safe School Initiatives.
“The two items, when critically viewed, were not supposed to be in the ministry’s ‘budget since hardware procurements are done by the Army, Navy and Air Force and Safe School Initiative, is a project, handled by the Federal Ministry of Education.
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“These to us, are duplications of budgetary votes which require explanations from you,” he said.
The Minister in his response sought for permission of the Committee for the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ibrahim Kana to respond.
In his response, the Permanent Secretary told the Committee that the sums were inserted into the Ministry ‘s budget for 2022 fiscal year by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.
“The two budgetary votes were not initiative of the ministry. The Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning put them there,” he said.
Apparently not satisfied with the explanation offered by the Permanent Secretary, the Committee through its Chairman, Aliyu Wamakko told the Minister that both the N8.6 billion and N2.25 billion proposals for procurement of hard wares and Safe School Initiatives would be expunged from the ministry’s budget proposals.
