President Buhari wants the National Assembly to approve extra funds for cuts made in the 2018 budget and the 2019 general elections. President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking National Assembly’s approval of funds for the cuts made by lawmakers in the 2018 budget as well as the 2019 general elections.Buhari stated this in a letter entitled ‘Request for Virement and Supplementary Budget’ addressed to Senate President Bukola Saraki and read at plenary on Tuesday, July 17, 2018.Other government agencies and establishments listed on the request for funds for the 2019 general elections include; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Office to the National Security Advised (NSA), Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Securities and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).A breakdown of the budget seen by Pulse indicates that INEC would get N189,207,544,893; NSA – 4,281,500,000; DSS – N12,213,282,455; NSCDC – N3,573,524,500; Police – N30,541,317,432; NIS – N2,628,143,320.“As you are aware, the 2019 general election is scheduled to be conducted early in 2019. To ensure that adequate arrangements are made for free and fair election, it has become necessary to appropriate funds to enable the relevant agencies to commence preparations,” Buhari said.“INEC and the security agencies have accordingly recently submitted their requests and these have been subjected to the usual budget evaluation. The aggregate cost of the election is estimated at N254, 445, 322,600.“However, in line with the prevailing fiscal conditions, I’m proposing that the sum of N164, 104, 792, 65 be provided for through virement or supplementation of the 2018 budget. I propose that the balance of N78, 340, 530, 535 mostly related to personnel allowances, fueling and other costs not required until election proper be provided in their 2019 budget.” The proposal for the 2019 election is as summarised below:INEC2018 supplementary – N143, 512, 529, 4452019 budget – N45, 695, 015,438Total: N189, 207, 544, 893 Office of the National Security Adviser2018 supplementary – N3, 855, 500, 0002019 budget – N426, 000, 000Total – N4, 281, 500,000DSS2018 supplementary – N2,903,638,0002019 budget – N9,309,644,455Total – N12,213,213,282,455 NSCDC2018 supplementary – N1,845,597,0002019 budget – N1, 727, 997, 500Total – N3,573,534,500 Nigeria Police2018 supplementary – N11, 457, 417, 4322019 budget – N19, 083, 900, 000Total – N30, 541, 317, 432NIS2018 supplementary – N530, 110, 0782019 budget – N2, 098,033, 142Total – N2, 628, 143, 320Total amount2018 supplementary – N164, 104, 792, 0652019 budget – N78, 314, 530, 535Total – N242, 445, 322, 600ALSO READ: The National Assembly has a N14.5bn question to answer over 2018 budgetCuts in the 2018 budget“You will also recall that when I signed the 2018 appropriation act, I indicated the need for reinstatement of certain cuts made to certain critical projects provided in the original executive bill. I’m therefore submitting for your consideration the reinstatement of most of the most critical of such cuts totalling N67,742,216,150,” Buhari said.“The total amount required to be provided for in the 2018 budget for the 2019 general election and to restore the identified critical projects to the amount earlier proposed is therefore N228, 854, 800, 250. Implementing a budget of N9.12 trillion for 2018 is extremely challenging and therefore, I do not consider it expedient to propose a further increase 2018 supplementary of N3, 855, 500, 000.“Accordingly, I invite the distinguished senate to consider, in the national interest, relocating some of the funds appropriated for the new projects which were inserted into the 2018 budget proposal totalling N 578, 319, 951, 904 to cover the sum of N228, 854, 800, 205 required as noted above,” he added.President Buhari had accused the National Assembly of cutting allocations for key infrastructural projects by the Executive and inserting those proposed by lawmakers in the N9.120 trillion 2018 budget.The National Assembly defended their action and further advised President Buhari to submit a supplementary budget for approval.
