The breakdown of the budget of the National Universities Commission (NUC) in the coming year has revealed that about N69m has been budgeted by the body for purchase of books, to take care of meals and other welfare packages.
According to the breakdown of the budget , which was part of the 2020 Appropriation Bill presented by President Muhammadu Buhari before the National Assembly last week, the commission would spend N22, 908,950 on refreshment and meals and N30,570,000 on welfare packages.
The NUC headed by an Executive Secretary oversees the regulation and accreditation of a total of 174 Nigerian universities – 43 federal universities, 52 state universities and 79 private universities.
In the coming year, the NUC has budgeted N50,075,664 to maintain its offices and residential quarters while magazines and other periodicals take only N2,120,000.
The breakdown of the NUC budget partly reads, “Books – 16,769,000, newspapers – 3,079,000, printing of non-security documents – 18,400,000, uniforms and other clothing – 1,300,000, maintenance of office furniture – 5,537,885, maintenance of plants and generators – 9,739,246. Refreshments and meals – 22,908,950, honorarium and sitting allowance – 17,540,000, welfare packages – 30,570,000.
More checks on the NUC budget showed that the commission listed four projects for the coming year which are; the re-development of its Lagos liaison office which will gulp about N330,000,000 and the university system quality assurance which is put for N846,591,160.
Other listed projects are furniture and office equipment which will take N100,000,000, and the Local Area Network upgrade at the NUC secretariat put at N150,000,00.
