Governor Ahmadu Fintiri presented a clearly articulated, seemingly realistic and achievable budget which took into account the financial reality of the state and focused on some critical sectors of the state economy as contained in his 11-point agenda. Muazu Abari writes.
The target
On assumption of office on May 29, 2019, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri promised revolutionary changes in all facets of the state economic, social and political life.
“As a government of popular consent and mindful of the honour and responsibility this have bestowed on me, I hereby affirmed that hope has been restored and true change has come to Adamawa state.
It will be a change that will balance policy and politics: A change that will eschew might for rights and treat all citizens equally. It will be a transformational change that will harness the vast potentials of the people ensuring they attain and enjoy the dividends of democracy, which have so far eluded us.
“We will gradually and systematically sustain our 11 points agenda until Adamawa state shade it’s toga of ‘pariah state’. We shall improve the lots of Adamawa state people.
Since he took over the mantle of leadership, in the view of watchers of events in the state, Fintiri has remarkably fulfilled some of his promises to the people and has creditably eliminated Shilla boys and other criminal elements, to ensure reasonable security in the state.
Little wonder people looked forward to his maiden budget presentation especially its content and the likely possibility of his achieving the proposals.
The budget
To further consolidate on his achievements within the last 6 months especially in the priority areas of his administration Gov Fintiri while presenting budget of N183bn tagged ‘Budget of Rebirth’ to the state House of Assembly said it would address specific areas with the aim of growing the state economic infrastructures.
Presenting the budget Fintiri said: “I wish to humbly present a total sum of one hundred and eighty three billion, three hundred and sixty million ,six hundred and ninety nine thousand,four hundred and eithy five naira only(#183,360,699,485.00)as the 2020 proposed annual budget towards the financing of both recurrent and capital development programmes in the state in 2020 fiscal year for your kind consideration and passage into law”
He added that the budget is premised on the current economic reality and the current national economic indicators of $55 per barrel of oil, 10.36 percent inflation rate, N350 per $1 exchange rate at 3.16 GDP economic growth rate. He said care was taken to make the budget taking into cognisance the projected oil price in view of its inconsistency and volatility in the world market and Nigeria’s projected production of 2.18 million barrels per day.
According to him, of the total proposed budget estimates the sum of N85.935bn which represents 47 percent of the total budget is earmarked for the recurrent services while, the balance of N97.424 billion which represents 53 percent of the total budget is for capital development.
Fintiri did not only stop at clarifying on all economic variables likely to impact on the budget, which is a clear departure from vague, bogus and ill-defined priorities which many say were the bane of the immediate past administration, but he narrowed to specific areas of focus. He said this centres on the 11-point agenda of his administration.
The core
He identified education, infrastructures, healthcare, agriculture, water supply, rural and community developments as priority areas of his administration and emphasised that the budget will be driven in such a as to give special attention these vital areas in line with the objectives of his administration. Accordingly, he committed the lion share of N17bn to education, followed by works N16bn and the Ministry of Health and Human Development, he allocated N10bn.
Others are rural infrastructures and community development which he said would gulp N7bn, housing and urban development, agriculture, water supply, also got reasonable allocations.
Specific projects
On the specific projects to be executed by his administration in 2020 as contained in his priority sectors, Governor Fintiri said his “administration will invest massively in the renovations and rehabilitations of schools across the state”, noting that already a team of experts were deployed to all parts of the state to ascertain the infrastructural needs, scope of their dilapidation of existing facilities and makes suggestion on what to do. Provision has been made for the establishment of two special schools per senatorial zone, saying government would encourage full boarding of all senior secondary schools in the state.
Fintiri said the budget has been designed to address the poor healthcare facilities by taking care of the infrastructural decay in hospitals, provide drugs. It would also strengthen the state health insurance to ensure its objective of providing for universal health coverage is met.
In the agriculture sector, the government has assured availability of assorted fertilizers to farmers at subsidised rates to improved farms output through adequate budgetary provisions. Also, the government within the budgetary year hopes to revitalise the extension service of Adamawa state Agricultural Development Programmes (AADP) and farming skills acquisition centres aimed at getting the people to acquire modern farming skills and use of improved seeding.
On the issue of portable water for the people, the administration intends to rehabilitate the Yola and Mubi water treatment plants and even upgrade them to provide 32 million and 12.5m litres of water per day. Additionally, procurement of water chemicals would provided to match the increased in production. The administration will also pay the remaining counterpart funding in the ongoing European Union water supply and sanitation sector reform programme phase 111 ongoing in Mubi and Furore covering Gella, Mubi water plants, Furore town, Malibu, Wuro Boki, Gurin and Dasin Hausa, among other projects.
Works sector, which has the second largest figure after education, Fintiri said that emphasis would be given to the completion of abandoned roads and constructions of new ones in the state capital. These includes Bachure, Nepa,Lagos, Philip Make roads, among others. Beyond these, the Nyibango-Yolde Pate would be constructed to serve as an alternative road linking Jimeta to Yola and thus decongest traffic along Yola -Jimeta high way, in addition to the constructions of three flyovers in the state.
Further, the budget the governor said has addressed the electrification of Toungo, which is the only local government in Nigeria that is not connected to nation grid, even as respite would be extended to the more than 145 communities where electricity projects were abandoned.
Execution of 281.7 rural roads under ADRAMP-11, already been flagged off and the completion of the renovation and upgrade of Yola International Hotel to five star hotel.
The administration, according to the governor, has embarked upon feasibility study of various solid minerals deposits in the state to determine their viability. Also, the Guyuk Cement project, he confirmed, would take off fully. In this regard, he said, engagement of public private partnerships is being sought. All this is captured in the budgetary provisions.
In the view of the departure from past approach to budgeting and commitment, keen watchers of the events particularly the efforts of the Fintiri administration, the presentation of this well conceived ‘budget of rebirth’ and the unprecedented achievements and commitments demonstrated by the administration, there is high hope there would be a marked departure from what used to be bogus and unreliable budget to lean but attainable budget.
