7 Important Things Buhari Said At The 2021 Budget Presentation

President Muhammadu Buhari has Presented  N13trn 2021 Budget To National Assembly earlier today.

Buhari arrived the National Assembly premised by exactly 11.01am and was received by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Arc Ojo Olatunde Amos, who led him through the basement door into the House of Representatives Chambers.

Compared to budget presentations done in previous years, the President was only accompanied by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and a few ministers, while the others are expected to participate virtually.

According to Senate President Ahmed Lawan, the new arrangement became necessary in order to maintain social distancing during the presentation, as a result of the COVID-19.

Naija News has identified some of the major things said by the President during the budget presentation  ceremony. Below are the important highlights:

1. The 2021 Budget was themed Budget of Economy Recovery and Resilience aimed at promoting economic diversification and social inclusion.
2. In the budget tagged: “Budget of economic recovery and resilience,” Buhari said the main thrust of the 2021 budget was to complete as many ongoing projects as possible while giving priority to the ones that most affected the people.
3. In the budget, the National Assembly got N128 billion, while N380.21b has been allocated to the health ministry.
4. In the budget, Multiple Rural Electrification Projects, Mambilla Hydro Power Project, Zungeru Hydro Power Project, among others, were key power projects under the 2021 Budget.
5. In the budget, N420 billion was earmarked for the Social Investment Programmes, while N20 billion had been earmarked for the Social Housing Programmes.
6. In the budget ,Recurrent Cost proposal  is for the payment of salaries and overheads in Ministries providing critical public services such as-N227.02bn for the Ministry of Interior, -N441.39bn for the Ministry of Police Affairs -N545.1bn for the Ministry of Education.
7. In the budget, the president approved  N128 billion for the National Assembly and N63.5 billion for the Niger Delta Development Commission. Other allocations include N29.7 billion for the North East Development Commission, N110 billion for the Nigerian Judicial Council, N70.05 billion for UBEC and N40 billion for the electoral umpire, INEC.

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan has given assurances that the National Assembly is ready to pass the 2021 national budget estimates before the end of 2020.

Lawan said this in his opening remarks on Thursday, shortly before President Muhammadu Buhari laid the N13.08 trillion 2021 Appropriation Bill before the lawmakers.

The Senate President recalled that the legislators had done something similar in the past as he noted that they promised to pass the 2020 budget before the year ended which they did.