Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, yesterday, presented a budget of N128 billion budget for 2018 fiscal year to the state house of assembly.
It is N16 billion or 16.62 per cent higher than that of 2016.
The Governor, while presenting the estimate before the Niger State House of Assembly, in Minna, yesterday, christened, “the peoples budget,” which he said was aimed at “reconnecting with the ordinary citizens.”
He said: “The state government decided to hike the 2018 budget from that of last year, which was N109 bilion, because of the relative peace in the Niger Delta and the upward swing in the oil price in the international market, with the fact that the country is technically out of recession.”
While giving the breakdown, the Governor said recurrent expenditure would gulp over N52 billion, representing about 40.7 per cent of the total revenue projection, while capital project would cost over N75 billion, representing about 59.8 percent of the budget.
Bello said the budget would be financed through statutory allocations, which would account for about 57.6 billion expected as capital receipt; value added tax, to contribute over N9 billion, Paris refund, to fund over N10 billion and internally generated revenue, which would cover over N11 billion of the budget estimate.
Other sources of funding the budget include, cash receipt of N35 billion and Pension reduction to cover over N10 billion .
Highlighting the budget, the Governor disclosed that the state government would spend N44 billion on the Economic sector, with Agriculture receiving top priority as the administration would ensure that 200 hectares of land would be cleared for the State accelerated Agriculture scheme aimed at upgrading of farm centres at Tegina, Gwada and Nasko with modern farming implements.
“Under the agricultural empowerment programme, the Tegina, kuta, Nasko and Bida farm Institutes will be equipped to better train our youths on modern farming methods,” the Governor remarked.
.On Education, the Governor said,”our tertiary Institutions will receive attention to meet accreditation requirements. The renovation of six Vocational, Science and Technical schools in Bida, Suleja, Kontagora, Jebba, Rijau and Minna will be given priority and will gulp N2.5 billion.”
He also said that Science equipments would be provided to these Schools at a cost of N100million the year under review.
