By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Kaduna State Government says that the state is progressing and plans to stop relying on federal allocation to fund it’s budget in the next few years.
The State Commissioner and Chairman of the State Budget and Planning Commission Muhammad Sani said in his remarks at the public hearing held at the Kaduna State House of Assembly on the 2022 appropriation bill submitted to the State Assembly by the State Government.
According to him, we are progressing and in the next few years Kaduna can provide for infrastructure and other obligations with it’s own money so that what ever comes from the federal allocation will be an addition.
He said that the state has been boosting its tax collections with about N57bn which has come with alot of hard work and also partnership with the kaduna State House of Assembly
“In 2015 when this government came in, the highest that has been achieved was 13bn naira annually and we are very happy today that we are at N57bn because of the continued support of the State House of Assembly and the first law that was passed was the consolidated law that was what opened the doors for rise in internal revenue generation by the State” he said.
The Commissioner disclosed that the state government rely only on only about 31 per cent from federal allocation while some other States rely on 70-80 per cent from federal allocation
He further explains that, they have been able to move the state from a state that completely rely on federal allocation to the one that is sustainable.
“When the government came in 2015 is that we most be able to fund our salaries from money we realise within Kaduna which means that what ever happens from the federal government we will be able to take care of the salaries and other state’s obligations” he said
“There are states who are owing 5-8 month salary because of reliance on federal allocations.
“It is important that we note this and understand that we will bring more and more bills to the house and more initiatives to state and understanding revenue to the state is the most important thing to do” he explained.
He said since Gov El-Rufai presented the budget to the State house it has been following up various processes to finalize on a budget that is not only inclusive but sustainable.
