Supplementary Budget: N13.8b To Be Used As Personal Emoluments – INEC Boss

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has disclosed that the sum of N13.8 billion will be used as personal emoluments from the N18 billion naira allotted to the commission from the supplementary budget.

Yakubu made the disclosure when he
appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation to defend the N18 billion for the commission from the N2.17 trillion supplementary budget.

According to the INEC boss, the money would be used for personnel emoluments and conduct of off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states.

He said, “N13.8 billion is allocated for personnel emoluments, N1.4 billion to augment the conduct of elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states, N1.6 billion for the conduct of 11 by-elections for National and State Assemblies.”

On his part, the Minister, Dave Umahi, told the committee that his Ministry needs N18.6 trillion to address issues affecting the road sector in the next four years.

Umahi who was defending the N300 billion for the ministry from the N2.17 trillion supplementary budget, also called for contingency funds to enable the ministry deal with emergencies on the nation’s roads.

He maintained his stand on the use of concrete for roads, saying it is less expensive and more durable.

He said, “On the whole, to address our road sector for four years, we would need about N18.6 trillion, so the National Assembly must wear its thinking cap on how we can address our road sector.

“I appeal to the National Assembly that the Executive should respect your motions on certain interventions. We must have a contingency fund. When you ask me to go and intervene on certain roads which have collapsed, I have to liken the situation to a man on life support. The man needs immediate attention.

“Where there is an emergency, the road is cut and the people are suffering; movement is stopped. It needs an emergency. So, we appeal for contingency to respect your directives on fixing emergency situations.”