Budget Allocation For North-East Insufficient – Ndume
By Ogbolu George with agency report
Former Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume, has asked the Federal Government and the National Assembly to increase the N45 billion budgeted for the reconstruction of the North-East region in the 2017 budget.
Ndume, who made the call while speaking with newsmen on Tuesday in Maiduguri, said the N45 billion meant for three states in the region was inadequate compared to the damage done in the region, and it should be pushed up to at least N125 billion.
He said he took the position on the premise of the International Community under the Humanitarian Response programme that budgeted N1.05 billion dollars for intervention in the area in 2017.
Ndume recalled that only 75 per cent out of the 12 billion that was allocated to the region in the 2016 budget was released.
”We got 449 million dollars which is about N130 billion from international donor organisations and countries last year.
”I think the government should try and come up with a reasonable amount for the rebuilding of the North-East by jerking up the N45 billion which is grossly inadequate,” he said.
