The Senate via its Committee on Defence has assured that the Defence Space Administration (DSA) would be given adequate funding in the 2024 budget to enable it execute its mandate maximally.

Chairman of the committee, Sen. Ahmad Lawan  gave the assurance on Thursday, in Abuja, when management of the  DSA  appeared before the  committee  to defend its budget estimates for the 2024 fiscal year.

Lawan said that improved funding for the DSA became imperative, giving the security challenges in the nation.

“This is an opportunity for the DSA to interact with the committee  to largely explain what happened with  the 2023 appropriation,  and how far you have been able to implement the projects as it relates to the  defence space administration.

“It is also an opportunity for you to disclose if you have benefitted from the 2022  supplementary appropriation  in which special attention was given to the defence sector.

“Let me assure you on behalf of my colleagues, that this committee is going to work with your administration to ensure that you discharge your mandate successfully.

“We believe you’re doing a good work already but you probably need more resources and attention to ensure that you discharge your mandate optimally.

“We know the resources have not been sufficient but we want to ensure that there is going to be reasonable and significant improvement to what you were getting before 2024.

“The idea of securing the country is never cheap and it is much more expensive when the country is already in a dire situation with so many security challenges all over,”  Lawan added.

The Chief of Defence  Space Administration, Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Abdullahi Shinkafi, said N6.2 billion was  appropriated to the DSA in 2023.

He said N1.9 billion was for personnel emolument; N298 millon overhead cost; and N4.63 billion was for capital projects.

Shinkafi explained that the amount appropriated to the DSA in 2023 for the execution of capital projects was used for the development of the National Defence Space School, development of DSA town in Abuja, development of National Defence Space Communication Satellite Centre, and upgrade of software for Cyber Space Operations in DSA headquarters, amongst others.

Giving a breakdown of the budget estimate for 2024, he said a  total of N10.7 billion was proposed for the  2024 fiscal year.

He disclosed that out of the amount, N6.9 was for recurrent expenditure, and N3.8 billion was proposed for capital expenditure.

Shinkafi said that the proposed amount budgeted for  capital expenditure needs of the administration was grossly inadequate.

“It is pertinent to state that some products and services such as satellite imagery, personnel, assets
tracking as well as Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Intelligence Surveillance an
Reconnaissance (SR) Imaginary were already procured by DSA and have been
used to support the ongoing Counter Insurgency Operations across the country.

“These products and services have contributed immensely to some of the
successes being recorded in these internal security operations.

“It is noteworthy to observe that these acquisitions translate to huge maintenance cost. Hence, the need to upscale the capital allocation for effective usage of these critical national strategic assets cannot be underestimated.

“This will ultimately make them effective for geospatial data capturing and analysis toward enhancement of national security,” Shinkafi explained.

Also, the Director General of the Defence Research and Development Bureau, Maj.- Gen. Emmanuel Ndagi, while also appearing before the committee to defend the Bureau’s 2024 budget estimates, lamented that “the fixing of a budget ceiling has not been favourable to the Bureau in its annual budgetary allocation.”

He, however, commended the committee for making deliberate efforts to ameliorate the situation through the window of interventions. (NAN)