The Minister of Works, Mr. Dave Umahi, has appealed to the National Assembly to increase the ministry’s budgetary allocation for the 2025 fiscal year.
He made the appeal while appearing before the House of Representatives Committee on Works to defend the ministry’s 2025 budget proposal.
Mr. Umahi described the N800 billion allocated to the ministry as insufficient to address the country’s road infrastructure deficit, complete ongoing road projects, and initiate new ones.
“We plead with you to help us. N800 billion cannot do anything for us. It cannot address our road needs, and so we plead with you to help us,” Umahi said.
The Minister maintained that the scope of road projects the Ministry cannot be achieved with the “meagre budget allocation, emphasizing that borrowing funds to address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit is crucial for the nation’s progress.
He said when a nation is in recession, it has no alternative than to borrow money and invest in infrastructure to address poverty, hunger and boost economic activities.
Mr Umahi, further confirmed that government commitment to economic development allow food sellers, sand suppliers, gravel workers, and others to benefit therefore called on the house to Support the President, to borrow money and build infrastructure for Nigeria to be great again.
Responding to questions from committee members on the state of roads nationwide, the Minister reiterated government’s resolve to completing ongoing road projects within the possible short time.
In a remark, the Chairman house Committee on works Mr Akin Alabi, promised to summon the Minister of Finance and the Head of the Budget Office to explain the rationale behind the ministry’s low budget allocation.
Mr Alabi, assured the ministry of the 10th house resolve to promote continuity in governance for effective management of public funds among the arms of governments in the country.
COV /TSIBIRI
