…present N340.6 bn budget
*pledges debt free state after tenure
From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum has proposed to spend more fund on health, education and servicing of the state’s debts in year 2024.
Zulum disclosed this on Wednesday in Maiduguri while presenting his budget proposal of N340.6 billion to the state House of Assembly.
He said he planned to spend N198.2 billion on capital projects including building of schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure in the 2024 appropriation tagged Budget of Consolidation and Progress.
He said the sun of N142.3 billion will be spent on recurrent expenditure. These include payment of salaries, allowances, overheads, gratuity and pension along others.
“I am submitting to you the expenditure proposals for the fiscal year 2024, aiming to strengthen the accomplishment we have achieved this far,” he said.
Government will be spending more on the newly reorganized Ministry of Fiance and Economic Development with N53.8 billion. This ministry is saddled with the responsibility of debt servicing even as the governor pledged to clear all dents owe by the state before completing his second tenure in 2027.
“I will make sure I do not leave any debt for the state by the time we leave the office in 2027 insha Allah (God grace),” he promised.
The health sector gotN51.1 billiony the second highest allocation while education followed with N39.4 billion allocation
The office of the governor and Government House takes B16.7 billion.
Zulum also announced taking over the supervision of the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement following the death of the commissioner recently. He was the pioneer commissioner in the ministry before his election as governor in 2019. Allocation to the ministry was however not included in the budget address and no reason was given for this.
In the fiscal year Zulum said he will build more hospitals, schools especially higher Arabic Colleges, mosques; train more doctors, nurses, develop agriculture; water irrigation system and rebuild more communities destroyws by Boko Haran
He explained the money to fund the budget will be sources from N206.8 billion monthly Federal Allocation (FAC) account and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). The sun or N128.8 billion will also be sourced from aid, grants and capital development fund according to the governor.
He apologized for any error committed by him and his government in the 2023 fiscal year, promising to adjust where necessary.