Gombe 2022 budget will not entertain white elephant projects… Commissioner

William Attah, Gombe

Gombe State Government says it’s 2022 appropriation will only entertain what the people of the State have sat down to demand from Government.

The State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, had last week at a town hall meeting with representatives of different communities lambasted the immediate past administration in the State for wasting billions of naira on projects that have no bearing on the ordinary man in the rural areas.

But rising from the State Executive Council Meeting Monday afternoon, the State Government reiterated it’s commitment to provide a people oriented budget that will have no place for White elephant projects.

Addressing journalists shortly after the State Executive Council meeting, the State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr Julius Ishaya Lapes, said the council had observed and made corrections where necessary on the proposed budget which will be presented to the State House of Assembly on Thursday 11th November, 2021.

While avoiding the total amount to be presented, he assured the people of Gombe State that the proposal is not going to be different from the inputs made by the stakeholders.

“The budget is going to be a reflection of what the people want. It will be transparent, all inclusive, avoid white elephant projects and will be guided by this administration’s principle of public spending” Mr Lapes stated.

He said the council also approved an additional N771,846,000 for an ongoing road project in Funakaye Local Government Area of the State.

He explained that it is for an additional work for the construction of a three span bridge instead of culverts on kwanar Gogaru – Almakashi – Jagabari to Kuka Bakwai road as the culverts could not stand the test of time.

According to him, this has jerked up the entire road project cost to a little over N2.839 billion.

The road construction is a joint project between Funakaye LG which is bearing 40% of the cost while the State Government is handling 60% of the cost.