The Senate is asking the executive to include the disputed Lagos Calabar Rail project in a supplementary budget and forward it to the National Assembly.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, Senate Spokesman Aliyu Abubakar said the Senate is ready and willing to consider a supplementary budget from the executive which would include the rail project.
There’s been a back and forth between the executive and the National Assembly over allegations that a 60 billion naira Lagos Calabar Rail Project was removed from the 2016 Budget. The Ministry of Budget And Planning had come out with its position on the controversies surrounding the 2016 budget.
The ministry in a statement said the President is yet to take a position on the budget after receiving details from the National Assembly on April 7. On the controversial Calabar-Lagos rail project, the ministry confirmed that there were indeed some errors in the initial budget proposal sent to the National Assembly by the President in December. The statement, however, added that the errors were corrected, submitted and subsequently accepted by the relevant committees of the National Assembly.
The statement read in part, “It must be emphasized that the two rail projects are part of those for which the President is currently negotiating funding with the Chinese government. “The 60 billion Naira provided in the budget for the Lagos – Kano and Calabar – Lagos rail lines, respectively, is counterpart funding, to support the Chinese financing for the projects.
“These projects are part of the strategic implementation plan of the government which was disclosed by the Minister of Budget and National Planning at The National Economic Council retreat in March 2016, in the presence of state governors.” The statement added that it was the corrected version that was defended by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and his team.
Source : Channels TV
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