By Veronica Dariya
The Chairman, Bwari Area Council, Mr Musa Dikko, on Friday in Abuja presented the council’s 2019 budget proposal of over N4.9 billion before the members of the Council’s Legislative.
Dikko, while presenting the proposal pegged N2.3 billion for capital expenditure in the council and N2.6 billion for recurrent expenditure.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Council’s 2019 proposed appropriation estimates has N968,636,517 for Finance and Accounts, being the highest figure, followed by Works and Housing with N952,110,219.
Health and Human services has N771,989,374; Education and Social development has N343,188,892 projected figures, among others.
In his presentation, the Chairman noted that his administration placed more emphasis on capital projects to meet the needs of the people adding that the council expected to meet most of its needs from internally generated revenue.
He said: “The pessimism we used as our guide in year 2018 projection is still highly relevant, since we are still going to depend significantly on statutory allocations.
“We are therefore, well guided in our 2019 projections, bearing in mind the fact that our economy is a mono-cultural one and that the various diversification policies put in place are not likely to yield immediate results.
” Out of a total expenditure of N4,991,986,660 projected, N2,341,603,878 is voted for Capital expenditure, while N2,650,382,782 goes to Recurrent expenditure.
“Similarly, we are projecting to fund our expenditure from Net Expected Revenue of N4,709,322,667.”
Dikko noted that even though the council went through difficult and challenging times in the past, it did not borrow to finance the previous budget and therefore, intended to keep the trend.
He said that his administration would continue to harness all available opportunities to achieve its goals while calling for the cooperation and support of stakeholders in the council.
In his remarks, the Leader of the Council’s Legislative, Mr Iliya Fenu, commended the Chairman’s dedication to progress in the council while also commending the performance of the previous budget.
According to him, the proposed budget is meant to bring about positive change to the face of the council while also impacting on the lives of the people.
He, however, said that the House would do the needful to ensure that the proposed appropriation was put into consideration and approved in no time so that the people could benefit.
“We pray that this year, the council will generate more revenue than in 2018 so that the resources are used for the benefit of the people.
“We assure the people of Bwari Area Council, by the mandate to represent them, that we would do our best to fulfil all the promises made by their councillors during their campaign,” Fenu said.
NAN reports that some past and present members of the council legislative, Chairmen, Councillors and staff members of the council were present at the presentation. (NAN)
