Nasarawa: Finance ministry defends revised 2020 budget, prioritise security, health


The Nasarawa state ministry of finance Tuesday, defended the 2020 revised budget of N62.96 billion as presented to the House of Assembly by Governor Abdullahi Sule.

The state Commissioner for Finance Mr.Haruna Adamu, led the Accountant General, Directors of the ministry and some governor’s aides to defend the budget before the state House Committee on Finance and Appropriation in Lafia, the state capital.
He said the revised budget was based on certain economic assumptions and realities such as fall in the oil benchmark per barrel and inflationary rate among other effects occasioned by Covid-19.
The commissioner said the state government revised budget has prioritised food security, health and personnel cost due to the effects of the pandemic on the economy.


“The initial oil benchmark was $57 per barrel but now due to coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world” 
“We revised the 2020 budget oil benchmark to $25 per barrel. And we prioritised food security, health and personnel cost in the revised budget,” he said.
The Director of Budget of the ministry, Mr Akolo Peter, said Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have cut down their expenditures by 60% due to the pandemic.
Also speaking, the state Accountant General, Mr Zakka Yakubu, said with the relaxation of the lock down due to coronavirus, the revenue generation of the state is improving.
Earlier, Hon Aliyu Dogara, the chairman, house committee on finance and appropriation said they have invited the ministry to brief the committee on the revised budget proposal in the interest of development.


“We will look at the draft of the revised budget and make amendments where necessary and pass the budget for the benefit of our people,” he said.

Leave a Reply