Governor Simon Lalong has presented N148.7bn, appropriation bill for the 2019 fiscal year to the Plateau state House of Assembly for consideration and passage into law.
He said the appropriation has an increase of N2.3bn above the 2018 appropriation.
The Appropriation tagged: “A budget of rescue and infrastructural growth,” has the total sum of N80.147bn as recurrent expenditure, while the sum of N28.620bn was proposed for capital expenditure.
He said: “The budget has a total size of one hundred and forty-eight billion, seven hundred and twelve million, ninety-eight thousand, five hundred and sixty-five naira (N148, 712,098,565.00) only. This shows
an increase of two billion, three hundred and six million, twenty-three thousand, six hundred and forty-four naira (N2, 306,023,644.00) only from the 2018 budget, arising from increase in recurrent expenditures.”
Lalong, urged the lawmakers to diligently peruse and deliberate on the budget, as he look forward to their cooperation in the speedy passage of the budget to enable, the executive commence implementation and service delivery from onset of the new year.
In his response the Speaker, Right Honourable, Joshua Izang Madaki, said previous three appropriations, have added to the quality of the common man in the state.
He said: “Previous appropriation in the past three years have added to the quality of life, restoring security and uniting the people, payment of backlogs and up to date salaries and pension of our workers
which affects economic growth, completion of past and new projects which will be further consolidated,” he said.
Hon. Madaki, appealed to his colleagues to see the importance of the appropriation bill to the people of the state and accord it a very speedy passage.
