Humanitarian Affairs Ministry Presents N35bn 2023 Budget Proposal

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has presented a N35,595,233,430.00 budget proposal for 2023.

 The Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq presented the Ministry’s  2023 budget  estimates to the Senate Committee on Special Duties at National Assembly,  Abuja.

The minister was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary and Directors of the Ministry during the budget defense.

The budget comprises total recurrent expenditure of N1,073,705,755.00 only and a total capital allocation of N34,510,760,413.00.

On the performance of the 2022 budget, the Minister revealed that a total sum of N291,652,083.36 only or 58.3 per cent of the total overhead expenditure had been released as at September 30, 2022, while the sum of NI,810,565,093.45 or 48.00 per cent was released for capital expenditure for the same period.

She further disclosed that the total sum of N288,041,185.32 million, or 98.76 per cent of the total amount released for overhead cost was utilised and committed, while 99 per cent of the total capital releases or the sum of N1,799,286,437.81 only was utilised and committed to finance capital projects of the Ministry.

On the 2023 budget estimate, the Ministry’s 2023 overhead ceiling was increased from the sum of N499,975,000 in 2022, to the sum of N512,474,375 in 2023. This represented a seven per cent increase over that of 2022; to cushion the effect of inflation;

Farouq, said the seven per cent increase in the overhead ceiling was not commensurate to the 20.77 per cent inflationary rate in the economy, conversely, the capital budget ceiling was reduced from the sum of N3,749,510,414.00 to N1,083,017,733 which represents 71 per cent reduction in the 2022 capital budget.

Adding that for the Ministry to have seamless operations and accomplish its mandate which was critical to overall national development, the Ministry is requesting for an increase/upward review in its capital and overhead.

Earlier in his Remark,  the Chairman Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Yusuf Yusuf, on behalf of members of the Committee thanked the Minister and her team for the  2022 budget performance and  also urged the Ministry to redouble its efforts in carrying out its humanitarian programmes and interventions in the Country.