2017 Budget : Rep says allocation for rebuilding the North-East is inadequate

Zoro said this after commiserating with victims of the accidental bombing at the Specialist Hospital Maiduguri.

Sani Zoro,  chairman, House Committee on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has said  that the N45b allocated for the rebuilding of the North East in the 2017 budget,  is inadequate.

Fielding questions from  newsmen in Maiduguri shortly after commiserating with victims of this month’s accidental bombing at the Specialist Hospital Maiduguri, he said that the North East required a Marshal Plan and allocation of huge resources to tackle the high level of devastation.

“The Federal Government has allocated only N45 billion in this year’s budget for the rebuilding of damaged infrastructure in the North East.

“I just hope that the money is a component of a counterpart funding hopefully being expected from the International Community,” Zoro said.

He pointed out the amount required for the reconstruction of the Sub-region was much higher.

“Various sources have put the required resources needed for the rebuilding at a far higher figure.

“For example, Retired Gen.Theophilus Danjuma the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on the North East said that the project will require about N3.7 trillion.

“For us at the National Assembly, the allocation of a paltry N45 billion in the budget is grossly inadequate.

“We want to assure Nigerians that we are committed to allocating whatever we think is desirable from the capital budget to the North East project,” Zoro said.

He said that a submission by Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno also indicated that about 9 million dollars will be required for the rebuilding.

He expressed optimism that the International Community would also allocate huge resources for the rebuilding of the sub-region.

“The International Community ought to bring funds under the UN to provide aid for the project,” Zoro added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Zoro, who led a delegation of some House of Representatives members, had earlier paid condolence visit on the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mamman Durkwa, as well as visited some victims at the hospital.