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The Budget Office on Thursday said the allocation for the renovation of the National Assembly Complex in the 2020 budget is N9.25 billion, and not N27 billion as quoted by some reports.
The Director General, Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, stated this in a statement while reacting to reports on the planned renovation.
He said the allocation, which was initially N37 billion, was cut down by 75 percent to N9.25 billion.
“The provision for renovation/retrofitting of the National Assembly (NASS) Complex in the revised budget is N9.25bn, not N27bn as being bandied around.
“The initial provision of N37bn in the 2020 Appropriation Act for this was cut by 75% due to the impact of Covid-19 on government revenues,”Akabueze said.
He also said the allocation for universal basic education and basic healthcare provision fund was not slashed but was adjusted to fit the one percent of the consolidated revenue fund as stipulated by the law.
“Therefore, when the Covid-19 pandemic eroded the CRF, the budgetary provisions were automatically adjusted in accordance with the applicable laws,” he added.
President Muhammadu Buhari had signed a N10.5 trillion budget into law but the impact of the coronavirus pandemic caused the Federal Government to make some adjustments in the allocations.
The revised appropriation bill is now being considered by both chambers of the national assembly.