Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state says his administration is proposing a bill to strengthen the digitisation of land records in the state.
Bagudu made the disclosure while presenting the 2022 budget proposal to the State House of Assembly, on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the proposed budget tagged: “Budget of Economic Consolidation” proposes a 68 percent allocation for capital expenditures and 32 per cent for recurrent, respectively.
The governor said: “Mr Speaker, as part of our legislative agenda, we will be strengthening the digitisation of our land records with a bill to this house on the institutionalisation of the Kebbi Geographic Information System.
“Already, we have mapped over 50 per cent of some urban areas, including Birnin Kebbi, Zuru, Jega and Argungu. In the same vein, we will be sending a legislation to make Kebbi state attractive to investors.
“Draft legislation already concluded on the establishment of the Kebbi state Investment Promotion Agency will be forwarded to this house for its consideration and passage.
“Recognising also that we cannot change what we cannot measure, legislation for the establishment of the Kebbi state Bureau of Statistics will also be brought before this honourable house for its passage within the first quarter of 2022”.
Bagudu observed that although the “Budget of Economic Consolidation” was for the present, it was meant to prepare the state for the future.
According to him, this is a budget that meets the challenges, just as it anticipates changes to come.
He added that it is also a budget that guarantees opportunities in the face of difficulties and challenges, apart from growing the economy and spreading prosperity.
“From Ngaski to Augie, from Danko Wasago to Bagudo, this is a budget for a purpose and for all citizens of Kebbi,” he said.
On the 20221 budget performance, Bagudu recalled that as at June 2021, even though the price of crude oil had risen, production levels of crude oil had dropped to 1.48 million barrel per day.
This meant that actual revenues were 34 per cent below the budgeted amount due to the drop in crude oil production.
As a result, the governor said, the federal share of oil revenues fell to 51 per cent below target, thereby affecting the state’s revenues.
He said projected VAT revenues had performed well and were already at 90 per cent of the projected figure by the end of September, 2021. (NAN)
