The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, on Wednesday, defended the N18bn contained in the proposed supplementary budget for the commission when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations.
The INEC chairman was among the guests who appeared before the committee. He explained that the N18bn in the supplementary budget is not entirely for the conduct of the Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo governorship elections, but majorly personnel cost.
According to the INEC chair, chairman, N1.6bn would be used to conduct 11 by-elections in constituencies and senatorial districts across the country.
Yakubu said, “The N18bn in the supplementary appropriation is not all for the conduct of elections. Actually, the substantial part of it is about personnel cost.
“You will recall that in April this year, there was a 40 per cent increase in peculiar allowance to public servants. It was not provided for in our 2023 budget because the budget was passed in December last year so it couldn’t have made provision.
“We have one of the largest workforces in the country, over 15,600 staff and it is not easy to find the money to pay in the absence of supplementary appropriation. So, we made a case to the government and we have been included in this supplementary appropriation.
“For the component dealing with 40 per cent peculiar allowance, for the 16,614 staff of INEC, will require N10.6 billion and we have made provision for that”.
Credit: channelstv.com
