The Niger government on Friday said that it has spent N32.35 billion on infrastructure, education, health and other socio-economic projects in the state between 2015 and 2018.
Alhaji Danjuma Sallau, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy disclosed this in an interview in Minna.
“The administration of Alhaji Abubakar Bello has spent over N32.35 billion on various projects in line with its promise of delivering dividends of democracy to the people.
“The expansion of 2.8 kilometre dual carriage old airport road gulped N18 billion.
“N7.3 billion was used for projects in the Universal Basic Education Board and also to settle domestic allowances of primary school teachers,” he said.
The Commissioner added that government used N4 billion to secure accreditation of courses for colleges of Nursing Science in Bida and Kontagora, School of Midwifery, Minna as well as School of Health Technology also in Minna.
He said that part of the N4 billion was also used to increase salaries and emolument of health workers to 100 per cent including medical doctors, as a way of enhancing qualitative health care delivery in the state.
Sallau noted that government has also paid N2.6 billion as retirement benefits to 1,599 pensioners in the state in line with the civil service rules.
The commissioner explained that N252 million was spent in expanding and equipping the new extension of the neonatal wing of general hospital, Minna.
“This administration is committed to ensuring that child survival is a priority and will continue to task our health workers to brace-up in performing their duties,’’ he said.
On effort to stabilise electricity supply in the state, the commissioner said that government has released N200 million to support the upcoming Zungeru hydro power station in the state.
He also said that government has injected N91 million into the livestock sector towards improving production and stemming outbreak of diseases.
The Commissioner appealed to the people of the state to cooperate with government in its bid to deliver on dividends of democracy to the people. (NAN)
