N98b virement for nine MDAs passes second reading

A VIREMENTproposal ofN98 billion for nine Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), on Wednesday, passed second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives.According the News Agency of Nigeria, on September 27, President Goodluck Jonathan requested the House to approve a virement of N98 billion in the 2011 budget of MDAs.The MDAs affected were Ministries of Niger Delta, Agriculture and Rural Development, Education, Justice, Health, Aviation, Lands, Housing and Urban Development, FCTA and Police Formations and Commands.Virement is an exercise that involves moving funds allocated from one sub-head to another where they are supposedly more needed.It will be recalled that the House on October 13, referred the matter to its relevant committees for scrutiny.This resolution was sequel to a motion by Mulikat Adeola-Akande (PDP-Oyo), the House leader, which was unanimously adopted.Leading the debate, Akande saidthe virement was necessitated to provide for the election petition tribunals.According to her, it will also help to cater for the post- election violence across some states in the country.Akande maintained that, the approval of the virement would go a step further to help in the implementation of the budget which stood at 60 per cent.The lawmaker further stressed that the approval was in view of the projects the MDAs were expected to complete.Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, John Enoh (PDP-Cross River),saidthe virement was necessary to allow MDAs execute the 7,000 projects abandoned across the country.'It is important for the National Assembly to give approval to this virement to enable MDAs complete projects abandoned,' he said.It was referred to the House Committee on Appropriation and other relevant committees for further legislative scrutiny.They are expected to report back to the House in one week.It will be recalled that the National Assembly in March passed a harmonised Appropriation Act of N4.9 trillion for the 2011 fiscal year.
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