FG releases N280b for capital projects, $220m for railway

The Federal Government has so far released N285 billion to some agencies for capital projects captured in the 2020 budget and another $220 million as counterpart fund for railway projects in the country.
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, made this known when she fielded questions from State House Correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Minister, who was in the State House in company of members of the Presidential Committee on the impact of COVID 19 on Nigeria’s economy, updated the President on the activities of the committee.
Ahmed listed the Ministries of Education, Health, Transport, Works and Housing and the Niger-Delta as beneficiaries of the N285 billion capital fund.
The minister said government prioritised agencies handling critical infrastructure projects as beneficiaries of the first tranche of releases.
She said: “As at Tuesday this week, we have released N285 billion to a number of agencies.
“We prioritised the releases to the critical infrastructure agencies.
“We also made releases to education as well as health so the Ministries of Transport, Works and Housing, Niger-Delta; a number of ministries and agencies that have important infrastructure projects have got their funds.”
The Minister further disclosed that $220 million have so far been released as counterpart funding for railway projects in the country.
Ahmed said: “Also this week, we have been able to release to the Ministry of Transport the counterpart funding provided for in our budget that is required for the important railway projects that are currently ongoing, with financing form the China-Exim Bank so there are funds that have been released this week.
“In addition to the N285 billion, there is up to about $220 million that has been released for railway projects.”