FG BUDGETS N2.41 TRILLION FOR DEFENCE & SECURITY SECTOR IN 2022

This is coming as the government allocated N5.93 trillion (15 percent) to critical sectors of the economy, including defence, health, education and infrastructure in its 2022 budget estimates.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning,  Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this during the public presentation and breakdown of the highlights of the 2022 appropriation bill on  Friday.

She said the government prioritised defence and infrastructure sectors in the 2022 budget by allocating N2.41 trillion and N1.45 trillion to these sectors respectively, which represent N15 percent and N8.9 percent of the total budget.

Some of the projects that will be funded with the allocation include balance payment for the procurement of 3 X JF – 17 Thunder Aircraft, support equipment and spares, including targeting pod for JF – 17, complete with aircraft arms and ammunition (N22.08bn), procurement of 30/32/35 metre hydro survey ship and landing ship tank (N9.69bn) and procurement of 3 X AW109 helicopters and part payment for procurement of 1 X AW139 helicopter (N1bn).

Others are the completion of the Naval War College complex (N4.4bn) and the upgrade of the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital Ojo (N1.4bn).

The N1.45 trillion allocated for infrastructure includes provisions for works and housing, power (inclusive of power sector recovery programme provisions), transport, water resources and aviation.

The minister said the sum of N820.2 billion was allocated to the health sector, while education was allocated N1.29 trillion making up 7.9 percent of the total budget.

This also includes N875.93bn provided for the federal ministry of education and its agencies for their recurrent and capital expenditure, N108.10 billion provided for Universal Basic Education Commission as well as N306.00 billion for transfers to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

“For the health sector, we made a provision of N820.2bn. This is for the federal ministry of health and its agencies, including hazard allowances for the medical personnel. We also provided N54.87bn Gavi/Immunisation funds, including counterpart funding for donor supported programmes and global funds,” she said.

“We also provided N54.05bn for transfer to the basic healthcare provision fund. The BHCPF has been on statutory transfer since 2020 which means that it is on autopilot so they get the one per cent of the consolidated revenue fund.”

She said N863 million had been designated for social development and poverty reduction programmes in the 2022 budget.