Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai has proposed a draft budget of N201,049,213,385.77 for 2018 fiscal year.
The draft budget has a capital budget gulping 125,500, 774,460.66 and recurrent expenditure set at 75,548, 438, 925.12.
Speaking at a town hall meeting, Governor El-Rufai urged the electorate to suggest projects that they want the government to execute for them, noting that the last two budgets for 2016 and 2017 were raised after citizens recommended projects not captured.
The draft budget presented at the routine annual town meeting held at Umar Musa Yar’Adua Hall, Murtala Square Kaduna, Saturday is part of measures designed to allow citizens of the State make their inputs in the budget after which the State Executive Council will approve the final estimate on Monday 9th October.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai is expected to present the final draft estimate to the Kaduna State House of Assembly on 12th October for consideration and passage into law.
El-Rufai said the town hall meeting was a platform for the government to hear the people out on their yearnings and expiration as a way to make them participate in governance. He said the state government had made the draft budget available on the internet for people to study and make contributions.
He commended the State House of Assembly for passing the state budgets in record time since 2015 to enable implementation to commence by 1st of January.
Uba Sani, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political and Intergovernmental affairs said, through the town hall meetings, the 2016 and 2017 budgets were increased after inputs from citizens were captured before they were sent to the State House of Assembly for passage into law.
According to Uba, the 2016 budget was raised from N169b to N171b, an increase of 5bn, while the 2017 budget was raised from N189b to N215bn, and increase of 26 billion to accommodate projects suggested by people at the town hall meetings.
The 2018 draft budget estimate of 201, 049, 213,385.77 maintained a priority for capital spending which has 125,500,774,460,66, reflecting 62.4 percent of the budget proposals. Recurrent expenditure is set at 75,548,438,925,12, 37.6 percent of the budget.
The Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi explained that the 2018 budget targets the completion of capital projects begun in 2017 and delivery of public goods as outlined in the State Development Plan (2015-2020).
Speaking on behalf of Civil Society Organizations, Emmanuel Bonet, called for increase fundings to State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM), to enable it conduct the forthcoming Local Government Elections without hitches, noting that the N500m allocated to the commission is insufficient.
Yakubu Barde, the Minority Whip and member representing Chikun Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, commended Governor Nasir Elrufai for carrying the citizens of the state along by giving them a platform to air their views and criticisms, adding, ”When it comes to governance partisanship must be set aside.”
Garba Shehu Sarkin Noma, Member representing Sanga/ Jema’a Federal Constituency said, though he is a member of the PDP, “We must commend good things no matter where they came from,” he added.
He said the administration of Malam Nasir Elrufai is building enduring institutions that would outlast his administration especially the entrenchment of transparency and accountability in governance.
Sarkin Noma called for the implementation of Anchor Borrower scheme in Southern Kaduna to empower the youth in agriculture.
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