Borno, Bauchi governors present N183.84b, N145.5b budgets to lawmakers

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has presented a N183.84 billion budget for the 2017 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly, representing an increase of 15.3 per cent over the 2016 allocations, which he said is to complete capital projects in the state.

Presenting the budget proposals at the Assembly complex, on Wednesday in Maiduguri, the state capital, Shettima said: “The policy thrust of this budget is aimed at continuing with the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement programme initiated in last year’s budget of N159 billion.”

He said that the appropriation bill has proposed a capital expenditure of N124.2 billion, while the recurrent expenditure was allocated the sum of N59.66 billion.

The budget tagged: “Budget of Consolidation, Restoration, and Rebirth,” will be financed from Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) of N29.23 billion and the Federation Accounts Allocations of N117.66 billion.

“The budget being presented to this Honourable House, is also aimed at reaching out to all 27 council areas; for the purpose of smooth restoration of civil structures, essential services and facilities and complete the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on or before May, 29, 2017,” said Shettima.

In the sectoral allocations, the education sector got the lion share of N24.51 billion, while health and the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (MRRR), and were allocated N19.65 billion and N13.2 billion respectively.

While receiving the budget proposals, Speaker of the house, Alhaji Abdulkarim Lawan, said the implementation of the budget, after its passage, will overcome the challenges of insecurity, poverty and unemployment in the state.He urged the people to sustain the peace that has been restored by the military and other security agencies.

In a related development, Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State has also presented a budget of N145.5 billion with N58.9 billion or 40 per cent for capital expenditure and N86.6 billion or 60 percent recurrent expenditure to the State House of Assembly.

The budget, titled: Budget of sustainable development,” has recurrent revenue estimates of N11.2 billion from internally generated revenue and N72.5 billion from statutory allocations from the Federation Accounts, while recurrent expenditure estimates N58.9 billion.

Governor Abubakar said the 2017 budget is predicated on the assumption of “oil production of 2.2 million barrels per day, a bench mark oil production price of $42.50 per barrel and exchange rate of N305 to $1, in addition to robust and efficient system of internally-generated revenue collection”.

He said certain measures were taken in preparing the budget that included ensuring that fiscal statements are reflections of the State’s economic status as well as the nation’s economy, ensuring that projections for revenue items were conservatively arrived at, and ensuring that every revenue generated by ministries, departments and agencies are backed by law before they are spent.

Other measures, according to the governor include making sure that all ongoing projects that have direct bearing on the lives of the populace are completed and new ones are prioritised and included in the budget and exploring more sources of funds especially from the development partners and donor agencies, while government tries to settle all counterpart obligations.

He told the House that the budget, which seeks to ensure that recurrent to capital expenditure ratio stands at 40:60 per cent, prioritises agriculture, health services, education, water supply, youth and women empowerment and infrastructural development.

While thanking the lawmakers for the cooperation they give to the executive, especially in speedy passage of all bills presented to the House, Governor Abubakar assured the people of the State of his commitment to fulfilling the covenant he has with the electorate.