By; BALA B. BITRUS, Minna
Niger state government has proposed to spend N108, 074, 298, 251. 00 in the 2017 fiscal year.
The state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello said the appropriation tagged ‘Budget of Consolidation’ and is expected to be funded through various sources such as the state’s Internally Generated Revenue,IGR), subventions from the Federation Account (FAAC), Value Added Tax (VAT) and Capital Receipts.
Presenting the budget before the state Assembly on Friday, the Governor said the 2017 budget proposal is higher than last year’s budget by about N22, 982, 176, 118.00, ( 21.27 %).
He explained that the appropriation figure is biasedly focused on the development of the agriculture and the education sectors of the state economy for deliberate reasons.
Out of the total revenue projection, N50, 695, 206, 724. 00 is expected to come from Statutory Allocations to the state, N12, 403, 874, 117, 00 from IGR, N8, 793, 447, 040. 00 from VAT, while the sum of N22, 781, 770, 370. 00 is expected from Capital Receipts made up of expected drawn-downs from Development Partner projects grants and loans.
The proposed recurrent expenditure for the 2017 fiscal year according to the document stands at N48, 047, 960, 278.00 which represents 44.45% of the entire budget. Personnel Cost is N29, 374, 941, 299.00, while the Consolidated Fund Charges is N7, 645, 660, 579. The general and Overhead Cost is put at N11, 027, 358, 400. 00.
Governor Bello also disclosed that the sum of N13, 400, 000, 000.00 injected into the budget is refund of proceeds from Paris Club loan which is carried over to 2017 fiscal year. He said Capital Expenditure projected for the year is pegged at N60, 026, 337, 973.00. This figure represents 55.55% of the total budget size.
The Governor noted that a total of N1.160 billion would be set aside for the water sub-sector. Some of the key projects to be undertaken under the sector will include the procurement of water treatment chemicals and reagents, maintenance of the six urban water treatment plants at Chanchaga, Suleja, Bida, Kontagora, New-Bussa and other water works in parts of the state as well as the provision of hand-pump and solar powered boreholes in other parts of the state to make water available to the citizens.
The judiciary arm of government is allocated the sum of N299 million for the running of its affairs in the 2017 fiscal year.
The sum of N1, 093, 200, 000.00 is proposed for the various projects in the social development sector for women and youth empowerment in 2017 fiscal year. Some of the programmes lined up for women and youths include renovation of Women Multipurpose Centre in Minna, the upgrading of the Mentally Retarded Home in Bida, the completion of the or6phanage Home in Minna and the construction of Permanent Remand Home in Kontagora.
In the 2017 budget appropriation, the sum of N2,100, 800, 000. 00 was earmarked for Youth and Sports development. Some of the programmes to be carried out within the year in focus included the training of youths under the CBN-EDC programme and the completion of the NYSC Orientation Camp in Paiko.
The Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Marafa, shortly after receiving the document on behalf of the state legislature, assured Governor Bello of timely deliberations and passage of the budget proposal for his assent.
