Governor presents 2016 appropriation bill

Yesterday, 31 December 2015, The Executive Governor of Niger state, Abubakar Sani Bello has presented his over seventy four billion naira (N74.7 bn) appropriation bill to the Niger State House of Assembly for the 2016 fiscal year.

The proposed budget is six billion naira (N6 bn) less than the 2015 budget.

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From the analysis of the budget, Recurrent Expenditure which is almost fifty three per cent (52.85%) gulps over Thirty Nine Billion Naira (N39, 501,796,081.00) while over Thirty Five Billion Naira (N35,242,355,052.00) has been earmarked for Capital Expenditure that is, over forty-seven per cent (47.15%)

Governor Abubakar Bello revealed that the Budget tagged the "Budget of Restoration", would be financed with over seventy four billion Naira (N74,744,151,133.00) which would be gotten from Statutory Allocation , Value-Added Tax (VAT) , Internally Generated Revenue ,Capital Receipts , bringing it to a total sum.

According to the Niger State Governor, the sum of Four Billion, Twenty Nine Million Naira (N4.29 bn) has been budgeted for Education, Health has Two Billion, Sixty One Million Naira (N2.61bn), Three Billion, Fifty Nine Million Naira (N3.59bn) would be earnmarked for Infrastructural Development.

Bello promised to block areas of leakages, wastage and recover stolen funds, quoting The Niger State Governor, “The management of the meagre resources of the State will be a priority. In this regard, areas of leakages and wastage will be identified and blocked accordingly.

“The Treasury Single Account (TSA) will become operational in the year. I must emphasize that this Administration has zero tolerance for corruption. Stolen funds will be recovered and proven cases of corruption dealt with accordingly.”

Among other things, the Governor also assured that the proposed budget would focus on Agricultural Development, Construction, Rehabilitation of Health Facilities and Services, Completion of all on-going Road Projects and Construction of new Roads, Completion of inherited abandoned Water and Electricity Projects, Renovation of Schools.