N11.8BN BUDGET LOW FOR LIVESTOCK MINISTRY TAKE-OFF – NASS 14-01-25
By Sadiq Aminu The National Assembly joint Committee on Livestock Development has described budgetary envelope of N11.8 billion as inadequate for the take- off of the recently created Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.
The federal government has proposed a sum of N10 billion for capital expenditure and N1.8 billion for overhead in the 2025 budget of the ministry.
The minister of Livestock development Alhaji Idi Maiha led management staff of the ministry and heads of agencies to the 2025 budget before the joint committees of the National Assembly on Tuesday.
He said the ministry took off 3 months ago and the take off process was ongoing with necessary structures being put together from formative departments from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, from which the new ministry was carved out.
The minister said the ministry was yet to have office accomodations, lacked facilities, necessary office and operational equipment to run as a full fledged ministry.
According to idi maha, the ministry is currently being accommodated by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
Though, Maiha said the minister has initiated talk with the minister of the Federal Capital Territory to secure an adequate office accommodation.
The minister said though the budget might be small it would provide a roadmap to get the ministry take- off effectively.
Oblivious, of the core mandate of the ministry to meet negative climate change, environmental challenges, open up avenue for youth and women to engage in economic activities in the livestock sector, he said process are ongoing to statutorily transferred livestock related MDAs under the Ministry of Agriculture to the Livestock ministry.
He said within the budgetary envelope, capital projects be shared across geopolitical zones according to specific needs and that the projects will be market driven to attract local and foreign investments .
He said the ministry would engage in massive well coordinated sensitization campaign across national and local media to project the ministry.
The joint committee asked the minister to harmonize adequate financial needs and re- present in form of supplementary budget, while promising prompt approval.
House Chair on Livestock Development ,Wale Raji queried the amount of input from the Presidential Implementation Committee for the take – off of the ministry.
“There will be need for you to make special presentation on this or necessary come up with supplementary budget that will reflect the hope of Nigerians.
“The budget is abysmally low to respond to the yearnings of Nigerian,” he said.
The Senate Chairman Sen. Musa Mustapha said the committees “would try it’s best to see to help the ministry achieve its mandate.