Buhari lists important projects in the 2018 budget from which cuts were made by National Assembly

President Muhammmadu Buhari on Wednesday, June
20, signed the 2018 budget but lamented that
lawmakers made cuts amounting to N347 billion in the
allocations to 4,700 projects he submitted for
consideration.
The president added that the lawmakers also
introduced 6,403 projects of their own amounting
to N578 billion.
Recall that the National Assembly had on May 16
passed the 2018 Appropriation Bill, increasing
the proposal of N8.612 trillion presented by
President Buhari last December to N9.120
trillion.
While signing the budget at the Presidential Villa
in Abuja, Buhari noted that he was concerned
about some of the changes that the National
Assembly had made to the budget proposals he

presented.
Expressing concerns over some changes
introduced into the 2018 budget by the National
Assembly, President Buhari listed the examples

of projects from which cuts were made.
1. Mambilla Power Plant, Second Niger Bridge/
ancillary roads, the East-West Road, Bonny-Bodo
Road, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Itakpe-Ajaokuta
Rail Project
The provisions for some nationally/regionally
strategic infrastructure projects such as Counter-
part funding for the Mambilla Power Plant,
Second Niger Bridge/ancillary roads, the East-
West Road, Bonny-Bodo Road, Lagos-Ibadan
Expressway and Itakpe-Ajaokuta Rail Project
were cut by an aggregate of 11.5 billion Naira.
2. FCT infrastructure projects, major arterial roads
and the mass transit rail project
Similarly, provisions for some ongoing critical
infrastructure projects in the FCT, Abuja
especially major arterial roads and the mass
transit rail project, were cut by a total of N7.5
billion.
3. Additional security measures for the United
Nations building
The provision for Rehabilitation and Additional
Security Measures for the United Nations
Building by the FCT, Abuja was cut by 3.9 billion
Naira from 4 billion Naira to 100 million Naira;
this will make it impossible for the Federal
Government of Nigeria to fulfill its commitment
to the United Nations on this project.
4. Strategic interventions in the health sector
The provisions for various Strategic Interventions
in the health sector such as the upgrade of some
tertiary health institutions, transport and storage
of vaccines through the cold chain supply
system, provision of anti-retroviral drugs for
persons on treatment, establishment of
chemotherapy centres and procurement of
dialysis consumables were cut by an aggregate
amount of N7.45 billion.
5. Security infrastructure in the 104 Unity Schools
across the country
The provision for security infrastructure in the
104 Unity Schools across the country were cut by
N3 billion at a time when securing our students
against acts of terrorism ought to be a major
concern of government.
6. National Housing Programme
The provision for the federal government’s
National Housing Programme was cut by N8.7
billion.
7. Provisions for Pension Redemption Fund and Public
Service Wage Adjustment
At a time when we are working with Labour to
address compensation-related issues, a total of
N5 billion was cut from the provisions for
Pension Redemption Fund and Public Service
Wage Adjustment.
8. Provisions for Export Expansion Grant (EEG) and
Special Economic Zones/Industrial Parks
The provisions for Export Expansion Grant (EEG)
and Special Economic Zones/Industrial Parks,
which are key industrialization initiatives of this
Administration, were cut by a total of N14.5
billion.
9. Construction of the Terminal Building at Enugu
Airport
The provision for Construction of the Terminal
Building at Enugu Airport was cut from N2
billion to N500 million which will further delay
the completion of this critical project.
10. The take-off grant for the Maritime University in
Delta state
The take-off grant for the Maritime University in
Delta state, a key strategic initiative of the
federal government, was cut from 5 billion Naira
to 3.4 billion Naira.
In addition, President Buhari said that about
seventy (70) new road projects have been
inserted into the budget of the federal ministry
of power, works and housing.
"In doing so, the National Assembly applied some of the
additional funds expected from the upward review of the oil
price benchmark to the Ministry’s vote. Regrettably,
however, in order to make provision for some of the new
roads, the amounts allocated to some strategic major roads
have been cut by the National Assembly," he said.
President Buhari said despite all these
observations, he had decided to sign the 2018
budget in order not to further slow down the
pace of recovery of the economy which, he
noted, had doubtlessly been affected by the delay

in passing the budget.


previously reported
that the National Assembly explained why it
delayed the 2018 budget and made a cut of N347
billion in the allocations to 4,700 projects
submitted for consideration and why it
introduced new 6,403 projects amounting to
N578 billion.
Bala Na’ Allah, the deputy leader of the Senate
who represented Senate president Bukola Saraki,
and the chief whip of the House of
Representatives, Alhassan Doguwa, who
represented Speaker Yakubu Dogara, said the
lawmakers had no option than to tinker with the

budget estimates.