The Senate on Friday, December 20, passed the 2020 Budget of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with an increase of N45.48 billion.
The Herald gathered that The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan also named Senator Smart Adeyemi, representing Kogi West, as the new Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation.
The passage of the budget followed the presentation of the harmonized report of the committees on FCT Statutory Appropriation Bill, 2020 by Senator Abubakar Kyari, at plenary.
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The aviation committee was formerly chaired by Senator Dino Melaye who lost to Adeyemi during the senatorial rerun election conducted recently in the district. Lawan also announced Senator Ibrahim Danbaba as the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs.
The Senate also adjourned plenary till January 28, 2020 to enable Senators observe the Christmas and New Year break.
Earlier, The Herald gathered that
A total amount of N9.06 billion has been allocated to President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for their feeding, traveling, cars purchase among others in the year 2020.
That was contained in the 2020 budget sent to the National Assembly for approval. The lawmakers, however, retained the N3. 327 billion which the executive proposed as travel expenses for Buhari and Osinbajo in the federal government’s 2020 budget.
The Herald gathered that the budget which was passed by the legislators and signed into law by the president on Tuesday, December 17, stated that the President would spend a total of N2. 526 billion on local and international travels, while Vice President Osinbajo was allocated N801 .035 billion.
A breakdown showed that President Buhari would spend N1.751 billion travelling across the globe, while N775.602 million had been earmarked for his local travel. Osinbajo was allocated N517.060 million for international travel; while he would be expected to spend N 283. 974 million travelling within the country.
The president would spend about N98. 306 million on food stuff and catering materials; while the VP was allocated N50. 888 million for the same purpose. The State House was earmarked a total capital expenditure of N4.806 billion, of which about N474 million would be spent on the purchase of motor vehicles.
General maintenance services were allocated about NN416 million and another N380.534 million for materials and supplies; while N476 . 869 million would be spent on utilities, such as electricity, water, internet and sewage.