From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The kogi State Executive Council on Thursday in Lokoja approved the sum of N172.9b as the budget estimate for 2023.
The Commissioner of Finance and Economic Planning, Asiwaju Ashiru Idris, disclosed this at the end of the State Executive Council meeting held on Thursday in Lokoja, the state capital and presided over by Governor Yahaya Bello.
According to him, the 2023 budget christened: ‘Budget of Transformation’, is envisioned to fund ongoing projects and, also initiate new projects that would consolidate on the resolve of the administration to change the fortunes of Kogi people.
The Commissioner also revealed that the Council approved N250m (two hundred and fifty million naira) as counterpart fund for the Adolescent Girl Initiative for learning, a World Bank funded programme to help the adolescent girl education in the state.
Approval was given for the transmission of a Bill for a Law to amend the Kogi State Utility Infrastructure Management and Compliance Agency, which is meant to create enabling environment for the government to do more for the people in terms of infrastructural delivery.
It equally approved the establishment of the Kogi Roads Tax Management and Administration Board, an initiative designed to help improve the quality of roads and also contribute to the Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) drive of the state government.
Also, a Bill for the establishment of the Kogi State Rural Access Roads Agency(RARA) have been approved. When operational, the agency would only handle rural roads, as its functions is not expected to clash with that of the Kogi State Roads Maintenance Agency(KOGROMA).
