•Sule seeks approval of N199.9bn 2024 budget proposal
Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia and Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto
Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State, yesterday, presented a 2024 budget proposal of N 270,100, 355,563.35 to the State House of Assembly.
Also, yesterday, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, presented his 2024 budget proposal of N199.9 billion to the State House of Assembly for approval.
In Sokoto, the appropriation bill was christened, ‘Budget of Hope and Resilience’ which the governor said was being done in an atmosphere of both “hope and uncertainty.
“Of the proposed revenues, statutory allocation coming from the federation account are estimated in the sum of N138,929,550,974:00 only. Internally generated revenues are estimated in the sum of N37,085,037,053:63 Kobo only.
This makes the total revenue stands at 176,014,588,027:63 Kobo.
“Our opening balance is 13,310,358,374,60 Kobo, capital receipts aids and grants is 14,396,222,781:12 Kobo. Capital development funds also stand at 60,379,186,380:00 making a total amount of 74,775,409,168:12 Kobo.”
He said the recurrent expenditure accounted for N90,640,286,421:53 Kobo only, adding that the recurrent expenditure was broken down to personnel costs, N46,923,537,990:52 Kobo only, while overhead costs stood at 50,938,232,612:65 Kobo.
“Capital estimates, 172,238,584,960:27 Kobo with the total expenditure standing at 270,100,355,563:35 Kobo.”
The governor sought the cooperation of the House in doing a thorough job on the budget and ensuring speedy passage to enable its implementation by January 2024.
He explained that the budget is a reflection of the views of the masses across the state with the point based on his administration’s nine point agenda.
The sectoral breakdown of the budget also confirmed that Education gets the highest votes in the budget with allocation of 42,868,402,566:5 kobo. This is followed by the Health sector with 31,014,441, 399:19 Kobo.
Agriculture sector also get 10,252,388,581:62 Kobo, which includes procurement of assorted grains to the people of the state as well as procurement of fertiliser and farms input, with the Ministry of Works and Transportation getting the sum of 18,807,208,595:17 Kobo.
The government also allocated the sum of 9,907,759,878:33 Kobo for the Ministry of Religious Affairs while Water Resources got 9,243,892,234:54 Kobo respectively.
He said his administration has also made adequate provisions in the budget for humanitarian services, poverty reduction, women and youths empowerment programmes among others.
Aliyu further noted, “Essentially, the goal of the 2024 Budget is to ensure that the gains of this administration are consolidated and expanded. Ongoing projects must be completed while new ones must come on stream.
“Notwithstanding the persistently challenging external conditions, it is incumbent on the leadership to address the socio-economic needs of our people and ensure that their legitimate aspirations are realised
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Governor, Sule’s appropriation bill was tagged:’Budget of Renewed Commitment’.
The budget proposal had a total sum of N112.9 billion, representing 56 per cent of the total budget, earmarked for recurrent expenditure.
The sum of N86.9 billion, representing 44 per cent of the total budget size, was set aside as capital expenditure for the year 2024.
Sectoral allocations in the budget proposal had education with the highest allocation of N41.9 billion, followed by the health sector with N27.5 billion and works with N22.7 billion.
In his remark, the Acting Speaker of the Nasarawa Assembly, Abel Yakubu Bala, assured Governor Sule that the 2024 appropriation bill would be passed into law before the month of December, 2023 ends.
