The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has decried inadequate funding, saying this has been hindering the effective delivery of its mandate.
Mr Abdullahi Shinkafi, Acting Chairman of the commission, made this known during FCC’s budget defence before the House Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs on Tuesday, in Abuja.
Shinkafi, who was represented by the Secretary to the commission, Mr Mohammed Tukur, said the 2019 budget for the commission was inadequate.
He said that despite the fact that the commission prioritised its expenditure, funding had become a serious challenge.
“The provision of operational costs in terms of utilities, material supplies, monitoring, local travels and others to the 36 states and the FCT has become difficult.
“This is impacting negatively on the effective delivery of the commission’s mandate nationwide. It is our prayers that the overhead funding pattern will improve,” Shinkafi said.
He said that the commission’s proposed budget for 2020 stood at N2,995, 152,781.00.
“While personnel cost is at N2,390,693,169.00, overhead is pegged at N372,635,538.00 and capital projects N231,824,074.00.
“Based on our assessment, the commission submitted a proposal of N975, 714, 078.90 as overhead for 2020, but it was advised to confine it within the limit of N372,635,538.00.
”Considering our areas of coverage, this amount is grossly inadequate for effective prosecution of the commission’s mandate nationwide,” he said.
After the presentation, a member of the committee, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, suggested that the budgeted amount for some capital projects be merged and reduced.
“They should lay their priorities right. They should reduce those figures and give us their priorities”.
Corroborating Kalu’s position, Rep. Makwe Livinus Makwe from Ebonyi, said some items in the budget needed clarification.
According to him, items four, five and six that deal with inspection, sensitisation and advocacy amounted to duplication.
Makwe suggested that items five and six be merged with others and that the amount be used to build another office for the commission.
But Rep. Tijani Ismail from Kwara, appealed to his colleagues to be soft on FCC.
“We should not condemn their presentation; rather, we should allow them to explain what they have on ground.
“Let us give them the benefits to explain before we say otherwise,” Ismail stressed.
The Committee Chairman, Rep. Abubakar Kusada, submitted that there was the need for comprehensive explanation on the needs of the commission and how it intended to achieve its mandate.
“We need to sit with you so that you can explain to us in details what you do, so that we can be on same page”.
Kusada said the committee would schedule a meeting with the commission to iron out the issues in its 2020 budget.
