SURE-P spends N280bn in 2 years

The Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) has spent about N280 billion in the last two years.Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, a member of the presidential committee on the SURE-P, disclosed this to State House correspondents today after the committee met with President Goodluck Jonathan.Ohuabunwa explained that the fund was spent on the East-West Road, Kano-Lagos rail […]

The Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) has spent about N280 billion in the last two years.

Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, a member of the presidential committee on the SURE-P, disclosed this to State House correspondents today after the committee met with President Goodluck Jonathan.

Ohuabunwa explained that the fund was spent on the East-West Road, Kano-Lagos rail line, among other projects.

According to him, this is part of the N360 billion allocated to the SURE-P within the period under review; with the balance of N80 billion rolled over.

“It’s important to know that in two years of our existence, we’ve spent less than N300 billion. Out of the N360 billion allocated to us, we rolled over N80 billion. So, we spent about N280 billion. That what we used to get the East-West Road to where it is, the rail line running from Kano to Lagos and all the works that have been done. So, you can imagine if the over N1 trillion spent on subsidy is released for this kind of work, Nigeria would get the best of services”, he said.

Earlier, SURE-P Chairman Gen. Martin Luther Agwai said over N90 billion was rolled over in 2012; and another N88 billion in 2013.

He said the funds were rolled over because of the processes to undergo before the SURE-P funds could be accessed.

“We rolled over money not because we wanted to do that. We’ve system on the ground and processes that you’ve to go through before you can access our funds. We’ve a template of what you need to do before you can access our money. If you don’t do it, you can’t get our money, for credibility purposes. We’d have easily disposed of the money if we were careless…You must meet all the guidelines and we also must inspect all the projects and be satisfied that they’ve been done currently within the contractual agreements before our money is given out”, he said. 

Agwai, who said sub-committees had been set up to ensure zero budget rollover this year, claimed that his team had nothing to hide. 

He listed the SURE-P’s achievements as including Abuja-Lokoja Road, upgraded 500 health centres and over 620 boreholes.