From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has given two years deadline for the completion of the approved VIP State House clinic within the precinct of the Aso Rock.
Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijani Umar, made the disclosure when the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter Governmental Affairs visited Aso Rock during its oversight function to know the level of utilization of budgetary allocation to State House.
The state of the art clinic is expected to be completed before the end of the Buhari-led administration.
Umar, had lamented that the non-release of full budgetary allocation to State House has resulted in some facilities being obsolete.
The Permanent Secretary, noted that out of about N8,699 billion budgeted for State House in the 2018, only about N5,083 billion that is about 58 percent was released, leaving an outstanding balance of about N3,616 billion.
Umar told the committee that in 2019 out of about N6,955 billion budgeted, only about N2 billion that is about 38 percent of the total sum was released, leaving an outstanding balance of about N4 billion as the shortfall, while in 2020, the sum of about N4,878 billion was appropriated and fully released.
He later told State House Correspondents that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has had an adverse effect on the economy.
On how the State House was coping with the funding challenges, he said: “First and foremost, let me say that we are privileged to be in this position, to be able to discharge these huge responsibilities and I’m also happy that you raised the issue of funding challenges. I also want to use the opportunity to distinguish very clearly between appropriation and release. Just like you mentioned now, in 2018, about N8 billion was appropriated, out of which only about N5 billion was released. Definitely, looking at the enormity of the challenges that we are dealing with from day to day, that is affecting our performance.