The House of Representatives yesterday commenced debate on the N2.87trillion 2009 Appropriations Bill, with threat to cut the overhead cost of the proposed allocation for Ministries and Agencies of Government, if they did not show readiness to brace up for the next fiscal year.

President Umaru Yar'Adua in his Budget speech on Tuesday also proposed a slash of 25% in foreign trips for officials of all cadres in the civil service.

The House adopted the warning after it was mooted by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rep. Bayero Nafada who presided at yesterday's plenary session.

Mr. Nafada, along with Reps. Tunde Akogun, Emeka Ihedioha, Aminu Tambuwal, Terngu Tsegba, John Enoh and Godwin Elumelu and Uche Ekwunife, took turns to lambast the ministries and agencies of government for lacking the capacity to absolve and put to perfect use the huge allocations to them since 1999.

The Deputy Speaker, who anchored the observation noted that "We may have to cut the overhead cost of Ministries by 50%, because despite the huge overhead cost for Ministries in the previous budgets, they have failed to utilize these monies to build the capacity to enable it effectively utilize the funds made available to them", he said.

The Chairman House Committee on Water Resources, Rep. Terngu Tsegba (PDP Gboko/Tarkaa), in his contribution said the "major challenge of budgeting in Nigeria, is the capacity of Government Ministries to implement the budget,".

But he however thanked God that "N131billion is earmarked in the 2009 budget for Capacity building for Agencies."

The Members of the House also took turns to ponder on a huge deficit of N1.09trillion in the 2009 budget, calling on the Federal Government to put measures in place to avoid future occurrences.

For Rep. Usman Adamu, "We (the National Assembly) must set out rules to avoid future deficits in the budget", while the Chairman Committee on Appropriations, Rep. Ayo Adeseun(PDP Ogo-Olowa/Surulere-Oluyole/Oyo), added that "We must go to the basics to make sure that this budget is implemented from day one.