Ganduje presents N275bn budget proposal to House of Assembly

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has presented a maiden budget proposal of about N275 billion for 2016 financial year to the Kano State House of Assembly for consideration.

The budget, tagged ‘Budget for Self-Reliance,’ is higher by N64 billion than the N211 billion expended in the outgoing financial year by the All Progressives Congress (APC) control administration in the state.

Laying the estimate before the state legislators on Monday, Governor Ganduje said the budget was primarily conceived to put the state on the ground of sound economic footings, in the face of the declining revenue allocation from the federation accounts.

According to him, N191 billion of the amount, which represents about 66 percent of the total estimate, is proposed to be set aside as capital component of the budget, while N83 billion is for re-current expenditure.

Specific allocation of N44.1 billion was set aside for Urban and Regional Development, and some of the projects to be executed in the sector acquisition of some new housing development layouts.

The sum of N31.3 billion was proposed for the Water Supply and Rural Development, and N2.5 billion out of the amount was voted for the development of irrigation scheme, and N800 million for construction of boreholes in the rural areas.

About N7.5 billion is being proposed to be expended in the execution of various projects in the Agriculture sector, about N5 billion of the money is being set aside for execution of the development of micro, small and medium scale agricultural enterprises.

N1.2 billion has been budgeted for the Information, Sports, and Culture sector, of which about N100 million out of the amount is to be expended for the re-opening of the state owned newspaper,-The Triumph, which was closed down during the Kwankwaso regime.

N2.18 billion was voted for the Environment Sector and the areas of focus of the government spending for the sector management of solid waste by the State Refuse Management Agency.

The Judiciary was allocated N1.24 billion and most of the money are for the construction of new court facilities throughout the state, as well as upgrading courts at all level.

Giving insight into his administration efforts to ensure proper management of public funds, the Governor said that he intended sending a legislation proposal on Public Procurement to the State House Assembly for promulgation.

He also disclosed that his government will be strengthening the public audit department to check incidences of corruption, and stealing of public funds, and appeal to residents of the state to give maximum support to the regime.