Al-makura Presents N114.5bn Appropriation Bill For 2014

Gov. Umaru Al-makura of Nasarawa State on Monday in Lafia presented the 2014 appropriation bill of N114.5 billion to the state House of Assembly for consideration and approval.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2014 budget estimate surpasses the 2013 budget of N110 billion by about N4.3 billion, representing 3.99 per cent increase.

The breakdown of the figures shows that the 2014 budget will be funded from anticipated revenues sources made up of opening balance/savings transferred from consolidated revenue funds to Capital Development Fund of N10.5 billion

Others are value-added tax of N10 billion, statutory revenue allocation of N40 billion, excess crude oil receipts of N5 billion, SURE-P of N2.5 billion, refund from NNPC of N10.3 billion.

The budget will also be funded from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N13.174 billion, Aids and Grant of N13 billion and bonds of N10 billion.

Al-Makura said that N59.6 billion, representing 52.03 per cent of the budget, was earmarked for recurrent expenditure while 54.9 billion, representing 47.9 per cent, was set aside for capital expenditure.

According to him, the budget is guided by the market forces and Federal Government fiscal strategy assumptions.

He said that the budget had been carefully planned to ensure proper implementation, completion of all ongoing projects as well as enhancing the IGR of the state.

Al-Makura said that the “Budget of Reality’’ would enable the state government to fulfil its promises, programmes and policies in order to uplift the socio-economic status of the people.

A review of the sectoral allocations shows that the Legislature got N15.37 billion, Civil Service Matters N1.10 billion, Agriculture and Water Resources N10.19 billion, Environment and Natural Resources, N706.71 million.

Works, Housing and Transport will gulp N10.10 billion; Commerce and Industry N3.51 billion; Rural and Community Development, N3.12 billion; Lands and Urban Development N11.42 billion, while Finance, Planning and Investment will take N15.90 billion.

The state Ministry of Justice was allocated N336.8 million, Education N12.05 billion, Higher Education N9.31 billion, Health N12.19 billion, Sports and Youth Development N1.77billion and Women and Social Development N548.16 million

The governor restated administration’s determination to salvage the people from poverty, backwardness, deprivation, disease and hopelessness.

Al-Makura said that education would be made free from primary to secondary school level in order to make education accessible to every child.

He said that the government was determined to complete all ongoing projects and embark on the new ones, to enhance social and economic development of the state

The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Musa Ahmed, congratulated the governor for the budget presentation and urged him to ensure its strict implementation, when eventually passed into law.