Niger Budgets N198.2bn for 2022

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Government has budgeted the sum of N198.2 billion for its capital and recurrent expenditures in the 2022 financial year, just as the Value Added Tax (VAT), which is still subject of litigation, is planned to generate N20.76 baillion of the amount.

The state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, who made this known when he presented the budget estimate for 2022 before the special session of the state House of Assembly in Minna yesterday, said the state government also planned to spend N74,157,965,942.06k on its capital and other projects during the year.

Bello said the breakdown of the projected income of the state also showed that the bulk of the income would be generated from the Federation Account, which will bring in N54.282billion; Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) N17.19 billion; Excess Crude and other revenue N4.8billion, adding that dividends from the North South Power will bring into the government coffers N500million; refund from federal roads N200million while capital receipts will generate N100million.

The governor disclosed that personnel cost will gulp N39.6 billion or 52.6 percent of the budget; overhead cost N14.8billion or 19.73 percent of the budget; leave grant will take N13 billion, while interest payment will take N2.5 billion.

Tagged: ‘The budget of Prosperity and Sustainable Development’, Bello said the economic sector has been allocated the highest amount of N87.4billion followed by social sector, which is allocated N25.3billion; administrative sector N9.4 billion and law and justice sector will get N760million.

He disclosed that the Minna-Katearegi- Bida road, Kontagora road bypass, Paiko-Lapai road as well as the Libelle-Nasko- Salka road would be given top priority to be completed in the fiscal year.

Reviewing the performance of the 2021 budget, the governor said: “The year 2021 has been the most deplorable for the education sector in the state in particular and the country as a whole, because the criminal activities of bandits and kidnappers have led to the closure of schools particularly those in the Niger East senatorial zone.

“This undesirable situation has undermined our efforts in the last six years of repositioning our schools with the Whole School Development Approach that was introduced in the beginning of our administration.”

He, however, said the government “is desirous of providing secure and conducive environment for teaching and learning, as education is the cornerstone of human development.”