The
Federal Capital Territory has proposed to spend N5 billion this year to
rehabilitate prostitutes and destitutes who loiter the streets of Abuja
The FCTA as part of moves to remove prostitutes and destitute from
the streets of the Federal Capital City, FCC, has set up two training
centres in Bwari Area Council and Lugbe in Anuja Municipal Area Council,
AMAC.
The Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, will be in charge of
removing the prostitutes and destitutes from the streets while their
rehabilitation will be handled by Social Development Secretariat.
According to a source from the FCTA, the prostitutes when arrested,
will be taken to Lugbe where they will be engaged in vocational training
in hairdressing, making of yoghurt, computer training, among others for
a minimum period of three months. The programme which commenced last
year has already graduated over 1,000 of such persons.
In his lead debate yesterday, Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma- Egba who
presented the FCT Statutory Appropriation Bill, 2013 said the total
Statutory budget stands at N253,199,752,409, with N48,034,818,410 voted
for Personnel costs; N49,504,534,358 for Overhead Costs and the balance
of N155,660, 399,641 is for Capital Projects for the service of the
Federal Capital Territory commencing from January 1, and ending on
December 31, 2013.
According to Senator Ndoma-Egba, another N7.5 billion will be spent
in 2013 by the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, AMMC, where the
Departments of Development Control, Parks and Recreation, Facility
Management and Urban Affairs belong.
Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba said: “The sum of N4 billion is
proposed for the construction of First Lady Mission Building. Also, the
sum of N150 million is set aside for the renovation of Vice President’s
Guest House in Asokoro.
“The sum of N50.5 billion is proposed for the development of
transport sector. Out of this amount, there is a Chinese loan of N44.5
billion for the construction of Abuja 60.37 standard gauge rail track
with ancillary facilities.
“The secretariat is saddled with the responsibility of promoting
social activities like sports, arts and culture, tourism, empowerment
programmes, rehabilitate prostitutes and destitute, etc in the
territory. In 2013, the total sum of N5 billion is earmarked to address
some of the social menace within the FCT.
“The sum of N30 billion is earmarked for the provision of
infrastructure and services in the education sector in year 2013. This
will also cater for the expansion and rehabilitation of Primary,
Secondary, Tertiary and Vocational Schools, as well as to provide
teaching aid materials. This will improve the quality and standard of
education in FCT.
“The sum of N24 billion is proposed for the provision of
infrastructural facilities and to complete the on-going projects. N23
billion is for the completion of on-going projects while N470 million is
for new projects.”
Senators fault budget, say it’s scandalous
Meanwhile, Senators in their contributions to the budget however faulted
some of the provisions, describing the proposed vote of N4 billion in
the FCT budget of N253, 199, 752, 409 for First Lady Mission Building as
not only scandalous, but an endorsement of illegality against the
backdrop that the office does not exist in the 1999 Constitution. They
argued that public funds must not be used on a private project of such.
In his remarks, Senate President noted that the government was not
getting the priorities right in the budget as most important things were
not paid attention to, even as he urged Senators to ensure that an
effective oversight was carried out.
Earlier in his contribution, Deputy Senate Leader Abdul Ningi, PDP,
Bauchi Central while leading a strong opposition against the budget
said, “N150 million is too much for the renovation of the Vice
President’s guest house in Asokoro. How much is the building that it
will now gulp N150 million for renovation?”
Also in his contribution, Vice chairman, Committee on Federal
Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Babajide Omoworare, ACN, Osun
East who also kicked against the expenditure, said: “I’m worried about
the provision of bogus figures, there’s a lot of disconnect. This budget
hasn’t shown the reality of what’s happening in and around Abuja.
Provision of N4 billion for building a mission office for the First Lady
is scandalous.
“The Women Development Centre is there for the First Lady to do
anything she wants to do and I’m not aware that there’s a First Ladies
Mission office in the United States of America from where we copied the
Presidential system of government. There is no such building in South
Africa and even Ghana that is our next door neighbour.
“N4 billion can be used for a lot of other things. We have not set
our priorities right. I’m of the view that the committee should look
into this.
“Again, I remember that in this chamber last year, we voted N1
billion only for new federal universities yet we are being asked to
appropriate N4 billion for an office that’s alien to the Constitution.”
Also in his remark, Vice chairman, Committee on Establishment and
Public Service Committee, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, ACN, Ekiti Central,
who was also not happy with some proposals of the FCT Budget, said: “I’m
worried and I hope that those of us who are leaders in this country do
not take the youths for granted. How can we vote N4 billion for the
office of the First Lady? I just pray and hope that this doesn’t get to
the public because if it does, we are in trouble.
“How can you appropriate money for an office that’s not known to the Constitution?”
Speaking further, Senate President Mark urged the Senator Bala
Mohammed-led administration to set its priorities in the budget right,
rather than start projects that would not be 90 per cent completed at
the end of every fiscal year.
He said: “You’ve all made very valid contributions. I think the main
problem with the budget is getting our priorities right. Some issues
have come to the forefront that shouldn’t come to the forefront. I’m
wary of completing some projects haphazard.”
TalkOfNaija
