The Bauchi State government has presented a N213.9 billion appropriation estimate for 2021 to the House of Assembly.
Gov. Bala Mohammed, who presented the budgetary estimate in Bauchi on Tuesday, tagged it “Budget of Fulfillment and Consolidation’’.
He said N120.7billion of it had been earmarked for capital expenditure, while N93.1 billion has been set aside for recurrent expenditure, pointing out that the government would strive for the full implementation of the budget.
He explained that N24.85 billion had been projected as the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and N68.3billion as the expected statutory allocations and N16.3 billion as Value Added Tax (VAT).
The governor added that N31.7billion had been earmarked as personnel costs and N31.5 billion overhead costs, stressing that the government would strive to achieve the estimate by ensuring prudence, accountability and blockage of leakages.
According to him, N9.6 billion was also earmarked from the consolidated revenue for the payment of pensions and gratuities of retired civil and public servants,” adding N19.6 billion would be spent on servicing public debt.
Mohammed explained that a total of N120.7 billion would be spent on critical sectors which include the administration, economy, law and justice, regional and social sectors, saying his administration was fully focused on executing projects with strategic importance to the people.
The governor added that the budget has elicited inputs from critical stakeholders in the three senatorial districts, stressing that his administration was fully committed to fulfilling its campaign promises.
He commended the lawmakers for their cooperation, understanding and the zeal and commitment exhibited by them toward making the state a force to reckon with.
“Our working relationship with this House has been exceptionally cordial”, he said.
In his remarks, House Speaker Abubakar Suleiman commended the executive, especially for its open door policy and inclusiveness in governance.
He said the assembly had so far passed 20 legislative bills, presented 44 motions, 40 resolutions and listened to no fewer than 28 public petitions, received 16 committee reports and 18 executive communications from the Office of the State Governor.
According him, the House has been in the forefront of ensuring prudence, accountability and transparency by inviting ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) toward ensuring prudence in governance.
He assured the executive arm of the government on the speedy passage of the budget.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Bauchi State Government had presented a N167 billion as the 2020 budgetary estimate after which a N40billion supplementary budget was presented before the House. NAN
