Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has signed the State’s N159.36 billion appropriation bill into law.
Signing the bill on Wednesday at Government House, Maiduguri, Shettima said that the passage of the 2016 budget into law bears testimony on the good working relationship between the Legislative and Executive arms of government.
His words: “Today is also an epoch making occasion in the history of Borno State. We cannot thank the House of Assembly enough for expeditiously passing this appropriation bill in a record period of time, which bears testimony on the good working relationship between the legislative and executive.
“Last time, you and I, the Speaker, Abdulkarim Lawan were in a quandary; we were being assaulted from all ends. But members of the House of Assembly stood by us during those days; and they are still with us through this period of reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of our people.”
He assured the speaker that the executive arm of government will continue to nurture and sustain the relationship that existed between the legislative and the executive arms of government.
He, however, noted that in the last dispensation a legislator and an executive were lost to the assassins’ bullets.
“So, we went through thick and thin together. Members of the House of Assembly operated in a very harsh environment. But during the time of the Boko Haram crisis, very few people could bear to freely move around the House of Assembly areas,” Shettima noted.
But the legislators, he added, were courageous enough to be sitting in the hallowed chamber passing resolutions.
“I think they deserve special commendation and our respect for standing by the people of Borno, for fiercely identifying with the people, despite all the threats and intimidations from the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration,” he said.
On the budget’s N4.1 billion increase, the Speaker of the House, Abdulkarim Lawan said: “The increase of over N4 billion to this passed appropriation bill came from the Ministries of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Poverty Alleviation and Youth Empowerment. We had to increase this budget to be passed into law your Excellency, from an initial proposed budget of N155.3 billion to N159.36 billion.”
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