Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Ibrahim Ramalan
Published on 2024-03-12 17:57:10
The Senate clarified on Tuesday that the N3 trillion mentioned in the alleged padding of the 2024 budget was actually statutory transfers to first-line charge agencies of the government that are not under the control of ministries. Senate Committee on Media and Publicity Chairman, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu, provided this explanation while addressing journalists regarding the suspension of Sen. Abdul Ningi over allegations of budget padding.
Adaramodu emphasized the importance of the 10th Senate as a pillar of democracy and stated that their actions are aimed at promoting national interest. He refuted claims of budget padding, labeling the narrative about N3 trillion padding as an error in arithmetic and a misunderstanding of budgeting procedures by those alleging padding.
He explained that the N3 trillion was allocated for statutory transfers to government agencies on first-line charges. Some of the agencies highlighted include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Public Complaints Commission, National Judicial Council, North East Development Commission (NEDC), Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), among others. Adaramodu also dismissed allegations of allocating N500 million as constituency funds to senators, dismissing it as a mere fantasy.
Furthermore, he urged journalists to review the 2024 budget to examine the allocations made to the National Assembly. Adaramodu stressed that budget padding is a serious offense in budgeting and a matter of integrity, which the Senate takes seriously. He emphasized that the allegations of padding were thoroughly investigated, and the accusers failed to substantiate their claims.
Adaramodu mentioned that the Appropriation Act is a public document, and the approved budget was N28.77 trillion, not the claimed N25 trillion. He reiterated that the N3 trillion mentioned was not padded or missing but allocated to government agencies on first-line charges. He also addressed allegations of unequal regional allocations, explaining that allocations were made based on sectors, not regions.
The Senate spokesperson highlighted the importance of maintaining the integrity of the National Assembly and emphasized that the matter was handled with the gravity it deserved. The Senate’s commitment to transparency and accountability in budgetary matters was reiterated throughout the clarification provided by Adaramodu to journalists.
In conclusion, the Senate’s clarification on the alleged budget padding in the 2024 budget aimed to provide transparency and address misconceptions surrounding the N3 trillion mentioned. Adaramodu’s detailed explanation shed light on the intricacies of budgetary allocations and emphasized the Senate’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the National Assembly.
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