BY ABDULLAH ISAH, MAIDUGURI
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has presented N155 billion to the state House of Assembly as 2016 appropriation bill for the consideration of the House.
Governor Shettima while presenting the budget to the House said it was tagged “Budget of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement,” stressing that it was directed at the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of thousands of victims of insurgency.
“Accordingly, we have budgeted the total sum of N155, 007,345,180 both current and recurrent expenditure. This will be financed from recurrent Revenue of N155, 007,345,180.00 comprising internally generated revenue of N29, 624,002,635.00 and Federation account of N93,154, 801,506.00,” the governor stated.
The budget has the sum of N103,111,444,049.00 as capital expenditure, N51,895,901,130.00, as recurrent expenditure with education sector having the lion share with the sum of 27 billion, followed by the ministries of Works, Women Affairs, Poverty Alleviation and Health with N16 billion, N12.8 billion, N11.5 billion and N10.2 billion respectively.
The 2016 appropriation bill, according to Governor Shettima is 20 percent lower than that of the 2015 budget due to the dwindling revenue from the crude oil in the international market.
Governor Shettima urged the Senate President along with the North East Caucus who visited some IDP camps to hasten the establishment of the North East Development Commission to carter for the reconstruction of the communities devastated by the insurgency.
He said “I urge this House to strive hard to ensure the smooth and successful passage of the bill into law, so that our people who for so long have been subjected to untold hardships by the insurgency, will start heaving a sigh of relief.”
The governor commended the Federal Ministry of Defense that has graciously offered to absorb some members of the Civilian JTF into the military, Para-military and other security agencies after the necessary screening exercise to determine their suitability, adding that the civilian JTF has played a vital role in restoring peace in Maiduguri and its environs.
Responding, the Speaker, Borno state House of Assembly, Right Hon. Abdulkareem Lawan said the budget of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement will definitely reposition the state, looking at the rich intention in its reconstruction effort.
“We are optimistic that the budget will be implemented to the later for the betterment of our depressed people and ensure aggressive revenue generation in other sectors, apart from the dependence on Federation account”, the Speaker stated.
He appealed to the Governor to pressurize the Federal Government through the Northern Governors Forum to expedite action on the oil exploration in the Lake Chad Basin area.
The Speaker assured Governor Shettima of their continued support and the accelerated passage of the bill to enable the executive to continue with the reconstruction of the destroyed communities, so that the displaced persons can return to their communities immediately.
