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Devastating floods slow down development – Commissioner
From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
The Borno State Government has introduced automation in its financial activities to block leakages, especially in the execution of the 2025 budget.
The State Commissioner of Budget and Planning, Dr Mustapha Mallumbe, revealed this at a press conference on the analysis of Borno’s 2025 budget in Maiduguri on Monday.
“We follow, track the budget and ensure leakages are reduced to the barest minimum. This is why we now introduced automation to help our 2025 budget,” Mallumbe disclosed.
He said the N615 billion budget for this year, signed into law by the governor on 7th January, focuses on the recovery of the state from the impact of insurgency, worsened by last year’s devastating floods.
The commissioner admitted the September 2024 flooding slows down development in the state but maintained that the government courageously pushed on to deliver essential services and development projects.
He said the health sector accounts for 15 per cent of the 2025 budget of recovery and continuity. He equally maintained that the automation of the budget will bring efficiency and transparency to the state’s finances.
While reacting to concerns regarding the suspension of fund support from the United States through its aid agency, Mallumbe maintained the fund cut will not significantly affect the state’s 2025 budget.
“Most of these supports come as counterpart funding. They may give like $100 million USD and we also give our counterpart fund of same amount. So, if the aid does not come, we will still use our money,” he explained.