The Permanent Secretary in the State House Abuja, Jalal Arabi, has disclosed that some of the vehicles purchased in 1999 are still used for daily operations in the State House
Arabi disclosed this when he led his management team to the National Assembly for the defence of the 2020 budget proposals of the State House before the House Committee on Special Duties. Mr Arabi said there is an urgent need to replace those vehicles as they have become very difficult to maintain.
“With the release of funds in 2018, some of the vehicles, especially security vehicles were replaced, spares purchased but we are still nowhere near our optimal level since no vehicles were purchased this year (2019),” Arabi said
According to him, “the proposals are in line with our provisions in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) document, discussed and agreed with the Budget Office of the Federation, and is to be implemented over a three-year period.”
The sum of N6.569billion has been proposed for capital expenditure, representing a 5.5 per cent reduction in the capital budget proposal for 2019 expenditure of the seat of government.
The Chairman, House Committee on Special Duties, Honourable Samaila Suleiman, while expressing satisfaction with the presentation, assured that the Committee would carefully consider the presentation.