Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on Saturday presented the 2018 draft budget estimates to citizens of the state at a town hall meeting in line with his open governance policy.
The state government in the budget proposed to spend N201billion in 2018 comprising of N125.5billion as capital expenditure and N75.548billion as recurrent expenditure.
The platform is to allow citizens of the state make their inputs in the budget after which the State Executive Council will approve the final estimate on Monday October 9, 2017.
Governor El-Rufai is also expected to present the final draft estimate to the State Assembly on October 12, 2017 for consideration and passage into law.
Speaking at the presentation of the budget estimate at the town hall meeting which held at Umuru Musa Yar’adua Hall, Murtala Square in Kaduna, El-Rufai urged the people to suggest projects they want government to execute for them, saying that the budgets for 2016 and 2017 were raised after citizens’ recommended projects.
According to the State commissioner for Budget and Planning, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, the 2018 budget targets the completion of capital projects which begun in 2017 as well as delivery of public goods as outlined in the State Development Plan (2015-2020).
A representative of the Civil Society Organizations who spoke at the event, Emmanuel Bonet, demanded for increased funds to the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM) to enable it conduct the forthcoming Local Government Elections without hitches. – Daily Trust.
