Gov Sule Presents 2021 Budget to Nasarawa house of Assembly
The Nasarawa State Governor has presented the 2021 Appropriation bill to the State House of Assembly . The budget ignites yet another hope of a sustained socio-economic and infrastructural development of the state.
This is coming especially at a time when the world and in particular, Nasarawa State is gradually emerging from social and economic setbacks occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic.
The governor presented the 2021 budget proposal of N112. 92 billion to the state House of Assembly for consideration and approval.
“Budget of Economic Recuperation” said that it was in compliance with section 121(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
According to the governor, his administration’s policy is anchored on transparency, accountability and prudence management of lean resources.
“The total expenditure outlay of the 2021 estimate is in the sum of One Hundred and Twelve Billion, Nine Hundred and Twenty-three Million, One Hundred and Seventy-four Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty-three Naira (N112, 923,174,543) only.
”A total of Fifty-one Billion, Fifty Million, Four Hundred and Fifty-six Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventeen Naira (N51,050,456,817) only representing 45.21% of the budget is earmarked for Non-debt Recurrent Expenditure which consist of both personnel and overhead costs.
“The sum of Fifty-four billion, Eight Hundred and Fifty-four Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty-five Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety-five Naira (N54, 854,985,695) only representing 48.58% of the total budget is earmarked as Capital Expenditure for the year 2021.
“Similarly, the sum of Seven Billion, Seventeen Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty-two Thousand, Thirty-one Naira (N7, 017,732,031) has been allocated to Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges for debt servicing, pension and gratuity. This represents 6.21% of the total budget.
According to the governor, the budget framework shows an increase of N4,478,368,930) only over and above the Fiscal Year 2020 original budget estimate translating to 4.13% increase.
Gov Sule, gave an outline of the 2021 appropriation bill major sectoral allocation as follows- Infrastructure -N19.6 billion (17.36%), Education/Science & ICT-N35.4 billion (31.35%)Governance/Security & General Administration-N14.3 billion (12.66%),Legislation-N2.7 billion (2.39%),Law & Justice-N3.8 billion (3.37%), Finance/Investment/Trade-N5.7 billion (5.05%) and Health-N11.4 billion (10.10%).
The governor urged the members to give the budget speedy passage to enable the state government complete ongoing projects as well as executes other new developmental projects across the state.
Speaker of the Assembly, Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, who received the budget after Sule’s presentation, assured the state government of speedy passage of the budget for the overall development of the state.
Hitterto, the hope for a better and prosperous Nasarwa State was demonstrated by the governor, in the 2020 budget despite the outbreak of the pandemic, which led to the fall in global oil prices causing undue pressure on the administration’s ability to meet the developmental needs of the people as earlier projected.