NKRUMAH BANKONG-OBI/Lafia

The Nasarawa State government says its budget for the 2024 fiscal year will concentrate on provision of social infrastructure to enhance the welfare of the residents of the State. The Commissioner of Finance and Budget, Hajia Munira Abdullahi gave this indication at the budget breakdown and press briefing organised by Ministry in Lafia on Friday.

Tagged ‘Budget of Renewed Commitment,’ a broad analysis of the nearly 200billion naira estimate as passed by the State House of Assembly and assented to by Governor Abdullahi Sule indicates that; education, general security and good governance, completion of ongoing projects, workers’ welfare via implementation of promotions and provision of housing units, employment opportunities for women and youths, provision of agricultural inputs, development of value chain in the sector as well a enhancing commercial venture with the view to promoting a stable economy as well as making available, palliatives to ameliorate the impact of subsidy removal.

According to the Commissioner, the budget will be funded through the statutory allocation which is expected to amount to 45billion naira, value added tax at 27billion naira, exchange gain at over seven billion, special allocation is 11 billion naira, refund from the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation 20million dollars, other income from the FAAC nearly 6billion naira as well as the opening balance which is 3.5billion naira.

Allocation to education section which stands at 40billionnaira or 20 percent of the total budgetary allocation is believed to show government’s commitment to changing the fortunes of the sector. This shows an incremental approach to meet the UNESCO benchmark for allocation to education. The Ministry of health was allocated 26billion and the Ministry of Works and Transport got 22billion naira, respectively, cumulatively, upon implementation, the subheads will include construction of classroom blocks in schools across the State, provision of instructional materials, construction of access roads across the State as well as providing and equipping hospitals in the State.

In total, recurrent expenditure is expected to amount to 113.1 billion naira while the capital component of the budget is pegged at 58.6billion naira only.

Hajia Abdullahi said the administration of Governor Sule is a stickler for transparency and accountability in the management of public resources. she said “My Ministry will monitor and track the implementation of all the projects, programmes and policies enunciated in the FY2024 budget.” She therefore called on all “Accounting officers of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the State to be guided by the Appropriation Law ass well as ensure that all revenues due to the State Government are properly collected and accounted for, so that our set targets can be achieved.