Bauchi state governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar has presented the 2019 budget appropriation to the state Assembly on Thursday. The state is to spent over N196 billion, with education getting the largest appropriation of about 21.8% of the total allocation.
The Bauchi State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Magaji Abubakar Danbam says the 2019 appropriation tagged “Budget of Continuity” was meant to invest in the critical sector of the economy.
Addressing newsmen on the breakdown of the budget presented to the State House of Assembly by Governor Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar, the commissioner said the measure was to maintain the “tempo of the successes recorded.”
The state 2019 capital expenditure was to the sum of N117,525,434,317 representing 60% while recurrent expenditure was put at N79,196,977,119 which represents 40% of the total allocation.
The commissioner explained that, the 2019 budget focuses on six priorities of the present administration which include, Health, Agriculture, Education, Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Youth and Women Empowerment as well as Infrastructural Development.
WikkiTimes reports that although education has had the largest share, budget performance in the sector has been very negligible which has deteriorated the sector to a near standstill.
Magaji who was grilled by newsmen at the end of the press conference conceded that the state government did not do well in budget performance, especially in the aspect of health and education, but pleaded that they needed more time to address the anomalies.
WikkiTimes can report that budget performance in the state is very low, largely due to corruption, and misplacement of priorities. But government officials have consistently denied the allegations, citing paucity of funds as reasons.
Bauchi state has had over 18 billion allocated to its education sector, but pupils in public primary and junior secondary schools in the state have to buy basic instructional materials required for teaching and learning.
Budget performance among states in Nigeria is marred by over dependence on the federal allocations from the federation account, coupled with their inability to devise other means of generating revenues. Only Lagos state is believed to have a strong IGR that could allow the it survive without allocation from the Federal Government.
