Nasarawa gets N124b budget

Nasarawa State House of Assembly has passed the state’s 2018 appropriation bill of N125.4 billion.

The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, announced the passage of the bill during plenary on Wednesday.

The motion for the adoption and passage of the bill was moved by the majority leader, Alhaji Tanko Tunga (APC-Awe North).

Balarabe-Abdullahi said the budget had been an increase in the budget by N2.6 billion.

The legislators increased the budget from the N122.8 billion proposal submitted by Gov. Umaru Al-Makura to N125.4 billion.

“The upward review was to take care of some vital areas of the 2018 budget to enable the state government provide the much needed dividend of democracy to the electorates.

“The total amount approved is N125.4 billion comprising N45.96 billion recurrent expenditure and N72.8 billion capital expenditure for the 2018 fiscal year.

“This is to enable the executive initiate projects and policies that have direct bearing on the lives of the people of the state,” he said.

Balarabe-Abdullahi, urged the executive to ensure proper implementation of the budget and prompt release of funds to various ministries and agencies for speedy development of the state.

He noted with satisfaction, the overall performance of 2017 budget, which was about 52 per cent for recurrent and 62 per cent for capital expenditure.

The Speaker urged the state government to intensify efforts to boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to increase its revenue base.

Balarabe-Abdullahi therefore, directed the clerk to produce a clean copy of the bill for the governor’s assent.

Our correspondent reports that Al-Makura had on Nov. 29, 2017 presented the budget proposal to the assembly for approval.