By Abel Leonard/lafia
Engr. . Abdullahi Sule has presented a revised 2020 budget of N62.96billion only to the state house of assembly for consideration and approval due to the effects of coronavirus on the economy.
Rt. Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, the Speaker of the House announced this after Hon Tanko Tunga (APC-Awe North), the Majority Leader of the House read the governor’s letter during the House Proceedings in Lafia today.
Balarabe Abdullahi, who said that the revised budget tagged”Budget of Inclusive Development” was necessary as Coronavirus pandemic has affected the socio-economic activities of the state and the world at large.
According to the speaker, in furtherance of it support to Engineer Abdullahi Sule’s administration to succeed, the House has expeditiously passed the 2020 appropriation amendment bill of the sum of 62.96billion naira into first and second reading respectively.
The speaker said, “A bill for a law to amend the Nasarawa State 2020 appropriation bill of N62,968,348, 139.00 only for the services of Nasarawa State has scaled first and second reading at the House.” The accelerated passage was due to the importance of the budget to the development of the state as a result of COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world.” The recurrent expenditure is N31,943,912,285.00.billion only while the Capital expenditure is N26,465,632,374.00 billion only and the consolidated revenue fund charges is N4,558,803,479.00 billion,only” he said.
He however committed the revised budget to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation for its necessary action and to report back to the House on Wednesday, July 22nd.Earlier.
Hon Tanko Tunga, the Majority Leader of the House while presenting the governor’s message, urged his colleagues to give the budget an accelerated passage in the interest of development.
Hon Danladi Jatau (PDP-Kokona West), the Minority Leader seconded the motion.Hon Mohammed Okpoku (APC-Udege/Loko) and Hon Suleiman Yakubu(APC-Awe South) while contributing on the issue said that the revised budget is timely considering the effects of COVID-19 in the society.
It will be recalled that the governor had on Dec. 4, 2019.presented a 2020 bugdet proposal of N100.52 billion to the Assembly for consideration and approval, tagged as “Budget of Inclusive Development”, said that it is anchored on his administration’s policy of transparency, accountability.
The state assembly subsequently passed the appropriation bill into law on Dec. 23, 2019 after raising it from N100.5 billion to N108.4 billion.
