By ERICJAMES OCHIGBO

The Deputy Spokesman for the House of Representatives, Rep. Philip Agbese (APC-Benue) says plans are ongoing to increase funding for some strategic agencies in the 2025 Appropriation Bill.

The agencies are National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) among others.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Monday, Agbese that the agencies are considered very critical to the nation?s socio-economic development and have been pencilled down for improved funding in the 2025 fiscal year.

?We are making a case for improved funding for the National Identity Management Commission, the National Youth Service Corps, and the Nigerian Defence Academy in the 2025 budget proposal. There are other agencies of government that are likely to benefit from this too.

?NIMC has become a very important agency of government in the past few years. A lot of Nigerians may not know how critical the agency is but we cannot talk about a national data bank without empowering that commission.

?The ideal of the NYSC must be sustained and this informed the decision to demand adequate funding of the corps.

?At a time when terrorists continue to come up with new strategies despite the gallantry of our troops; we cannot but devise means to outwit them.

?One of the ways to do this is to improve the funding of the institutions charged with the mandate of building the capacity of our security personnel to tackle emerging security challenges.

?In all of these, we also realised that the budget envelope system is not enough to meet the capital expenditure needs of most of these agencies,? he said.

He said that the house is prepared to increase funding for Nigeria?s foreign missions under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Ministry of Aviation.

Agbese urged Nigerians to stay optimistic as the Federal Government, with the support of the National Assembly, is working hard to make life enjoyable to the citizens within the shortest possible time.

He enjoined Nigerians to be hopeful as the current hardship being felt across the country will soon give way to national prosperity. (NAN)

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