The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has debunked reports alleging that the 2020 budget allocation to the office was jerked up by an additional N33 billion in the final document passed by the National Assembly.
A statement in Abuja yesterday by the Special Assistant on Media to the SSA to the President on SDGs, Desmond Utomwhen, stated that the said amount or any other allocation aside the appropriated figure, was not known to the Office.
“The Office also wishes to state that aside the opportunity to defend its budget proposal before the relevant committees at the National Assembly as prerequisites for the passage of budget, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs has no power whatsoever over the review of the budgetary proposal.”
The statement noted that the responsibility of the Office over the years has been limited to implementing the budget as approved and signed by the President, subject to the release of funds appropriated for the different sub-heads.
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“We therefore view the story and the insinuations therein as attempts to drag the Office into unnecessary controversies and would like to advise the media to endeavour to cross check their facts before going to press”, the statement added.
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