The Senate has approved the sum of N11.35 billion as the budget for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund in the 2020 fiscal year.
The approval, which was given on Wednesday, came following consideration of the harmonised report of the Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs.
The implementation of the NPTF 2020 budget had been extended to April 30, 2021.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Halliru Jika, said members of the committee observed this was the first budget of the NPTF since the establishment Act came into being in the year 2019.
He stated that 0.5 percent of the total revenue accrued to the federation account and 0.5 percent of the total VAT were remitted to the NPTF Account adding that other sources of revenue as prescribed in the NPTF Establishment Act have not made any remittance.
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Jika called on the NPTF to expedite action on the implementation of the 2020 budget in other to meet up with the deadline of April 30, 2021.
Giving a breakdown of the budget, the lawmaker said projected income was put at N34.98 billion; and N11.35 billion for capital.
He, however, explained that the balance of N23.63 billion would be carried over to the 2021 budget of the NPTF.
In addition, he noted that the purchase of utility vehicles in the budget was replaced with the procurement of the Covid-19 protection kits for Police personnel amounting to N358.38 million; and the sum of N533.89 million earmarked for the procurement of drugs and medical equipment.
The Senate President in his remarks said the approval of the NPTF budget would help the police to increase their capacities and provide better and improved services across the country.
“This is one of the benefits of what we have passed here – the Police Trust Fund – and I’m sure that the National Assembly will continue to support our security agencies for optimal performance,” Lawan added.
