State House Needs More Money To Function Effectively – Umar

The Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijani Umar has advocated that more money be made available to run the facilities in the State House effectively.

According to him, most of the facilities in the statehouse have become obsolete due to the non-release of the approved budgetary funds to keep them working.

Umar made the submissions over the weekend while answering questions from State House correspondents after a visit by the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs who were at the Aso Rock Villa on a oversight function to know the level of utilization of budgetary allocation to State House.

He gave examples that out of about N8.699 billion budgeted for State House in the 2018 fiscal year, only about N5.083 billion which was about 58 percent was released, leaving an outstanding balance of about N3.616 billion.

The permanent secretary added that in 2019 out of about N6.955 billion budgeted, only about N2 billion which was about 38 percent of the total sum was released, leaving an outstanding balance of about N4 billion as the shortfall.

He, however, said that in 2020, the sum of about N4.878 billion was appropriated and fully released.

“First and foremost, let me say that we are privileged to be in this position, to be able to discharge these huge responsibilities and I’m also happy that you raised the issue of funding challenges.

“I would like to say that the State House needs quite a formidable level of support and improvement in the funding, especially because we are dealing with phasing out a lot of infrastructure that have come to the end of their lifespan,” Umar said.

Those present at the meeting were the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, members of the senate committee and the management staff of the State House.