Posted by From JAMES OJO, Abuja. on
Ministry of Defence, National Human Rights Commission and the House of Representatives yesterday requested a total of N3.65 billion to be vired for execution of capital projects before the end of the year.
Ministry of Defence, National Human Rights Commission and the House of Representatives yesterday requested a total of N3.65 billion to be vired for execution of capital projects before the end of the year.
House of Representatives, according to its committee on Appropriation, put up a request for the virement of N1.5 billion to enable the House purchase equipment for members, as well as for the purchase of utility vehicles.
For the Ministry of Defence, the sum of N2 billion was requested to procure life saving and body armoury equipment for Army personnel in sensitive operations like Dafour in Sudan and in the troubled spots of the Niger Delta.
The request of N15 million by the National Human Rights Commission was purely for the purchase of operational vehicles, as the commission has only one functional Toyota Hiace bus, bought about ten years ago.
Chairman of Appropriation Committee, Hon Festus Adegoke had written the Speaker, Hon Dimeji Bankole that the N500 million voted for the upgrade of fire protection point, N200 million meant for the establishment of TV substation and oversight function enhancement fund of N800 million, totalling N1.5 billion be vired to the subhead of office equipment for members and utility vehicles.
This virement, it was learnt was to placate members, who moved into the new building, but were complaining that there was nothing to make their job easy.
In its own case, the Ministry of Defence wanted the money to procure life saving items for Nigerian troops deployed to sensitive operations, in the wake of growing insecurity in the Niger Delta region and the killing of nine soldiers on peace keeping mission in Dafour, Sudan.
'Procurement of the life saving items became a priority of the Nigerian Army, considering the increasing exposure of our troops in providing security to the Niger Delta region and the protection of our National economic assets, as well as those in peace keeping operations, such as the Dafour region of Sudan ," the letter read in parts.
Given the details of how the money would be spent, acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Goni Raji, stated that the Chief of Army Staff had requested for immediate procurement of the life saving items in place of the Floating Foldable Bridge to reduce avoidable casualties such as the Dafour case.
The need to vire the amount from the 2007 capital vote of the army became imperative because of the fact that Nigerian army has one serviceable bridge that was retrieved from River Jalingo and another one to be delivered by next month.
The life saving items are bullet proof vests and life jacket (combined in one), automatic rifle resistible with pump, bullet proof double padded camouflage helmetsb automatic rifle resistible.
Executive Secretary of National Human Rights Commission, Mrs K.F. Ajoni in her request, noted that the N15 million was to enable the commission buy operational vehicles, as the commission could only boast of one operational vehicle in its fleet.
'The commission at present has in its fleet, only one old Toyota Hiace bus, purchased about 10 years ago, which cost of maintenance has become very high due to persistence wear and tear. Indeed, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) had in the past impounded the vehicle because of its state of disrepair."
Meanwhile, Speaker Dimeji Bankole adjourned plenary for a week to enable members concentrate on budget defence and for the leadership to monitor the committees.