BalaAbdulkadir Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi State has presented over N167 billion as
2020 appropriation bill to the State House of Assembly for both capital and recurrentexpenditures.The budget tagged“budget of renewal of hope” estimated N72,615,397,214 as recurrent expenditure whileN94,600,410,286 was allocated for capital projects.
WikkiTimesauthoritatively reports that the budget estimates is the least in 3 years, as2017, 2018 and 2019 budgets were above what is currently budgeted.
GovernorBala, speaking at the state Assembly during the presentation said the statewill boost its revenue generating agencies to woo the sum of N102,474,311,276 asrevenue, which he said will reduce the over dependence on federal allocations.
Thegovernor who said the reduced budget of the state was anchored on the present economicrealities, added that his administration will block leakages to enable thestate maximally utilize the meager resources to the benefits of the entirecitizenry.
Bala saidthe 2020 appropriation was prepared on the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, whichwill help the government to comply with the State Fiscal Responsibility Law,2009.
He said hisadministration will move from the 26 digits to current 52 digits of theInternational Public Sector Accounting Standards, National Chart of Accounts, toease the state generate and interpret accounting results to meet domestic and nationalrequirements.
GovernorBala Mohammed said as part of measures to ensure that the appropriation defythe usual order of budget implementation which he described as inappropriate,his budget team in the build-up to the budget preparations has factoredmeasures such as achieving a recurrent to capital expenditure ratio, createefficiencies in personnel and overhead expenditure to free resources fordevelopment, growth of IGR by a minimum of at least 20 percent per annum, amongothers.
Bala saidthe state government will ensure that the areas of health, education, agriculture,youth empowerment, job creation and community development, poverty reduction receivea boost through pragmatic initiatives.
Governor Bala said the downsized budget was to enable the state holistically implement every allocation, which hitherto was not the case with previous administrations. On the implementation of the 2019 Budget, the Governor attributed the low pace implementation to the change in the mantle of leadership in the state, adding that the previous.
WikkiTimes can report that budget performance in the state is usually very low, largely due to corruption, and misplacement of priorities.
But government officials have consistently denied the allegations, citing paucity of funds as reasons.
