A review of budget documents has shown that Kano state spent only 24.5% of the amount budgeted for capital expenditure in 2023.
The review shows that while the state which is referred to as the Centre of Commerce budgeted N158.2 billion for infrastructural needs in 2023, it spent only N38.7 billion in total for the whole year, representing a 24.5% performance.
In contrast, the state heavily fulfilled its recurrent expenditure needs, budgeting N109.6 billion and spending N114.7 billion, showing a 104.3% performance.
Key ministries’ affected by poor capital expenditure performances
A further review shows that key ministries were unable to carry out their responsibilities for developmental purposes in Kano due to the poor performance recorded for capital expenditures.
For instance, the ministry of water resources , could only boast of a 2.3% capital expenditure performance. While the state earlier approved N14.1 billion for its water needs, it only spent N320 million at the end of the year.
The ministry of rural and community development had their performance lower, with a paltry record of 0.7%. At the beginning of the year N6.6 billion was approved for capital expenditure but only N46 million was actually spent at the end of the year.
Another important ministry, “ministry of education” could not also record a significant capital budget execution, with a 7.9% capital budgetary execution. The sum of N14.6 billion was earlier approved , yet, only N1.164 billion was spent as actual capital expenditure at the end of the year.
Reports by the ‘WIKKIDATA’ of WikkiTimes has raised concerns on the trend of “large on paper capital expenditure budget and poor actual expenditure “ in Northern states.
Low capital expenditure may hamper the ability of states to develop according to plan, as capital expenditures cater for infrastructure needs and other economic needs for citizens wellbeing.
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