Acting Governor of Kaduna state, Hajiya Hadiza Balarabe representing Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Tuesday proposed a budget of N257.9 billion to Kaduna State House of Assembly for 2020 fiscal year made up of recurrent expenditure of N67.87 billion and capital expenditure of N190 billion.
The budget, tagged budget of progressive renewal, allocates 40.29% for social sector with education getting N64.64 billion (25.07%), N39.61 billion (15.36%) for health and N66.34 billion (25.72%) for infrastructural development.
The budget, which is 65.5% increase from the N155.8 billion budgeted in 2019 and has a ratio 73.7% capital expenditure to 26.3% recurrent expenditure, is aimed at completing all priority projects of this administration, while completing some inherited liabilities, according to the Acting Governor, who represented Governor Nasir el-Rufai.
Speaking while presenting the budget on the floor of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, the Acting Governor said, “the size of the proposed 2020 Budget is N257.9bn. The capital component is N190.03bn, with recurrent expenses set at N67.87bn, the 2020 budget, when approved, is projected to have a record capital to recurrent ratio of 73.7%:26.3%.
“Most of the capital spending will be in the economic and social sectors, in keeping faith with our stated governance agenda. Education, Health and Infrastructure have capital allocations amounting to about N140bn, more than 73% of the proposed capital budget. Capital spending on education is N44.9bn, for health N30.29bn and for public works and infrastructure, N64.9bn.”
Explaining how the state expected to fund the budget, the acting governor said that opening balance amounts “to N23bn, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) N43.75bn, statutory allocation N53.824bn, recurrent budget surplus N52.697bn, Value Added Tax (VAT) N18.012bn, Internal Loans and Credit N3.5bn, Internal Grants N63.110bn, External Loans N45.473bn, External Grants N6.238bn and Sales of Government Assets N1bn”.
According to the Acting Governor, the thrust of the budget is urban renewal with education, health and infrastructure as the fulcrums with government extending its free education programme to every student from primary to senior secondary school. She said that government hired 2,500 teachers of English, Mathematics, Science and ICT for secondary schools, rehabilitated and upgraded physical facilities in the senior secondary schools.
The acting Governor said that government has identified a new main campus for the Kaduna State University in Rigachikun, Igabi Local Government, and four satellite campuses in Makarfi, Lere, Birnin Gwari and Kauru. She said government intended to accelerate the rehabilitation and equipping of its general hospitals and primary health centres.
“In collaboration with ABU Teaching Hospital, we brought the old Tudun Wada general hospital back into service for the benefit of the neighbouring communities. We are constructing 443km of township roads and 16 intercity roads with a distance of 414.8km.
“Our investments in modern technology to assist security agencies, including the acquisition of RF trackers, unmanned aerial vehicles, CCTV installations and forensic laboratory continue. On completion during 2020, these technologies will help ensure that criminals will have no hiding place in Kaduna state.”
The Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon. Aminu Abdullahi Shagali in his response assured the state government of the lawmakers’ support, adding that the House members will ensure that the 2020 budget is passed within a short while, and ensure that the budget deliver on its promise. “Kaduna State House of Assembly is solidly behind and in support of this administration.
“We are very much aware that the major source of revenue is allocation from the federation account. We are focused and ever ready to give all support to this government. The Kaduna State Assembly appreciates the town hall meeting which created awareness for the draft budget. We will request for input and public awareness from the people to pas the law.”
Shagali commended the state government for being the first state to implement the N30,000 minimum wage, while urging the workers to reciprocate the gesture by giving their best service to the state. “I want to commend Kaduna state government for being the best state in transparency and open government, and for being among the 10 states with highest internally generated revenue and the highest in the North.”
