“We’ve paid N17b for fuel subsidy so far this year,” – Okonjo-Iweala

he Federal Minister for Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonko-Iweala yesterday confirmed that the government did not suspend the payment of fuel subsidy.

Iweala who disclosed this at a media briefing in Abuja, noted that the federal government has released N17billion for the payment of fuel subsidy for the year 2012 in addition to the N451billion paid so far on the arrears of fuel subsidy claims for last year.

“the Committee set up by the Federal Government to review the subsidy payment regime following the sack of the auditors, would release its report next week. The  government will act on its recommendations” she stated

However, the minister also said that Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have spent N94.1billion out of N239.8 billion cash-backed on projects from the approved 2012 budget.

According to her, the figure represents about 39 per cent of the cash-backed approvals.

She also explained that the government has released N404.1 billion for the implementation of projects by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

She said “the first quarter 2012 releases totalled N304.1 billion. The balance of N100 billion was released in the second quarter. More funds would have been released for projects during the six-month period but the MDAs were still implementing the 2011 budget up to the end of the first quarter, because of the extension of implementation of last year’s budget”.

Iweala assured that her Ministry would ensure that the financial years do not exceed the 12-month calendar period and also ensure that the implementation of the current year’s budget does not spill-over to 2013.

Reacting to a question on what causes delay in the government salary payment, the Minister  said President Goodluck Jonathan had directed the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) and the Director General, Budget Office of the Federation to clear all the outstanding salary arrears of civil servants.

“She attributed the delay in the payment of workers’ monthly salaries to hitches in the IT infrastructure of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).

Both IT initiatives, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala  said, were adopted by the government to ensure transparency and efficiency in recurrent expenses.