The Nigerian Ministry of Industry trade and investment has debunked media reports saying over N1 billion of the 2024 the budget provision set by the Minister Doris Uzoka-Anite is to cover Foreign a trip to Geneva next year.
The Ministry in a statement signed by the the Special Assistant, Media & Strategy, to the Minister, Mr. Badejo Ademuyiwa said the report making the rounds is a misrepresentation of facts stating that the Ministry earmarked 1.6 billion naira for the maintenance of Nigeria Trade Office in Geneva.
According to him “We wish to categorically state that there is no line item in the proposed budget of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment referring to ANY “Foreign Trip to Geneva”.
“Rather, the only mention of “Geneva” in the proposed budget is with respect to the maintenance of the Nigerian Trade Office in Geneva, captured as “External Trade Sector, Geneva (WTO)”, which may have been misconstrued as “Foreign Trip to Geneva”.
“In fact, the total amount (for NIGERIA’S TRADE OFFICE IN GENEVA) in the appropriation for 2024 is N1,610,183,599 with the breakdown as follows:
1. Personnel Cost: N805, 379, 820
2. Overhead: N204, 058, 434
3. Capital: N600, 745, 345″, he added.
He further explained that the Nigerian Trade Office, Geneva has obligations, overhead and maintenance costs as with any organisation, that must be met.
‘In fact, the current debt owed by the Nigeria Trade Office in Geneva as captured in the budget is N499,000,000.00, and it was deemed necessary to propose a budget that will service Nigeria’s outstanding debts in Geneva and maintain Nigeria’s respect and global standing amongst the comity of nations.”
A section of the media had reported that over N1 billion was set aside by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investments, Doris Uzoka-Anite to cover a trip to Geneva next year when the minister appeared before the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Trade, Industry and Investment to defend her ministry’s budget.
Olusola Akintonde
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