From Faith Awa Maji, Lafia
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly on Monday passed into law a N115.72 billion appropriation bill for 2021.
The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, who announced the passage of the bill into law during the house proceeding in Lafia said the 2021 budget was also jerked up by only N2.8 billion from the initial N112.92 billion presented for approval by Governor Abdullahi Sule.
‘It is very expedient for the House to review some allocations because of their importance such as the state university, the introduction of engineering and medical school causes the increase in their allocation. This and many other factors necessitated the increase.
‘A Bill for a law to Authorise the issue out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state (Appropriation) the sum of N115,722,814,643.31k only for the services of Nasarawa State Government for the period of 12 months.’
According to the Speaker Balarebe, commencing from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, N53,464,156, 917 only is allocated as recurrent expenditure and N55, 240,925,695 only as capital expenditure while the sum of N7,017,732,031 only is earmarked as Consolidated Revenue Funds Charges.
The Speaker thanked the members for supporting and giving their much-needed cooperation to allow the bill pass into third reading, and then directed the Clerk of the House to produce a clean copy of the bill for Governor’s assent.
Earlier, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon Tanko Tunga, moved a motion for the passage of the bill into law, which was seconded by Hon Danladi Jatau, the Minority Leader of the House.
Governor Abdullahi Sule had on November 17 presented the 2021 budget proposal of N112.92 billion to the Nasarawa State House of Assembly for consideration and approval.