>
The Senate has resolved to direct the Federal Ministry of Finance to release the balance sum of N15billion in the 2016 budget.
The sum is to make up for the deficit in what was approved for the Presidential Amnesty programme.
The Senate took the decision during Thursday’s plenary.
Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, representing Delta North, in a motion titled “Monumental challenges facing the Presidential Amnesty Programme due to paucity of funds” expressed worry that the delayed and staggered release of funds was already threatening the programme with beneficiaries being owed up to five months allowances and huge indebtedness to local and foreign institutions supporting the programme.
Senator Baba Kaka Garba from Borno State, speaking on the motion, said that “in the 2016 budget 20bn amnesty funds was appropriated, the senate then increased to 35bn,now funds have not been released”