Delay in preparing supplementary budget for defence caused by security chiefs, says Minister

*”We are waiting for the information of their aggregate requirements”

THE Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has explained why the supplementary budget for procurement of security equipment has not yet been prepared.

Ahmed noted that the delay was from security chiefs who, according to her, had not yet aggregated their requests in order to forward to President Buhari as expected.

The minister explained further that the requests, after being reviewed, must come to her ministry from the office of the president.

Ahmed spoke in an interview with State House correspondents after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The minister, who said the government was still waiting for the service chiefs, however, expressed the hope that the security estimates would be made available soon.

She said, “For the military hardware, we have met with the service chiefs and the Chief of Defence Staff. They are supposed to aggregate their requests for review amongst themselves and then pass it to Mr President, then it will be sent to us.

“So, we are waiting for the information of the aggregate requirements.”

President Buhari, two days ago, told both the Senate president, Ahmad Lawan; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; as well as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi, that the government would send supplementary budget to the National Assembly to cater for the procurement of equipment and Covid-19 vaccines.

He stressed that the move was to strengthen the military in their fight against insurgency and allied criminality.

The Chief of Army Staff also made this known to troops of Operation Lafiya Dole when he visited them two days ago.

It is not yet known whether the funds in the Excess Crude Account will be used for the supplementary budget or another funds.

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had kicked against the Federal Government withdrawing from ECA.

He threatened to initiate a litigation against the government at the centre if it should go ahead with the plan.