The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (retd) has presented a budget proposal of N21.67billion to the Senator Aliyu Wamako led 17-man Senate Committee on Defence at the National Assembly, Abuja.
Giving a breakdown of the Budget Proposal, General Magashi said the sum of N15,481,114,471.00 is proposed for personnel cost.
The Minister who was supported by the Permanent Secretary Musa Istifanus said the N2,076,409,844.00 is for overhead cost of which N1,520,000,000.00 is due to Brigade of Guards. He further stated that a total sun of N4,115,364,390.00 is for capital projects.
The Minister who had earlier given a detail accounts of the 2021 budget performance fielded questions from the chairman and members of the Senate Committee on Defence.
He elucidated on areas of concerns raised by the senators by making appropriate and adequate references to the annexures contained in the document before all members of the committee.
The interrogation session was smooth and satisfactorily explained by the duo of the Minister and the Permanent Secretary after which the Committee Chairman Senator Wamako gave a brief remark on the strategic importance of the ministry saddled with the national territorial defence.
Members also took their turn to commend the Minister of Defence for his high sense of responsibility, probity, accountability and prudency in managing the resources of the ministry in the outgoing fiscal year.
Expectedly the interface between the Senators and the minister who was flanked by the Directors in the Ministry dovetailed into various concerns regarding the national decurity challenges facing the country to which assurances were given that a new Order of Battle, ORBAT, to be out soon will address those dark spots in parts of the country.
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