By Correspondent in Maiduguri.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State on Tuesday, presented a budget of N267b for the state’s 2022 fiscal year, from which the education sector got the largest share of N38 billion, representing 20.22% of the budget size.
Addressing lawmakers at the State Assembly in Maiduguri, Zulum announced a total of N267,921,484,000 combining N172, 535,634,000 for capital expenditure, and N95,385,850,000 for recurrent expenditure.
Titled the budget of “Hope for Post-Conflict Stability”, Zulum said the budget aimed to fast-track ongoing reconstruction of destroyed communities for safe and dignified resettlement of IDPs, and the provision of livelihood and social support to citizens. The budget also aims to fund completion of all ongoing capital projects.
The Governor explained that the budget would be financed from anticipated recurrent revenue of N113,839,901,000, made of FAAC allocation and increased IGR, and capital receipts of N154,081,583,000 made up of loans and grants.
He announced many plans in the education sector which include the establishment of new technical schools, reconstruction and reopening of some schools destroyed by insurgents, and the establishment of what he called “Centres of Excellence”
According to him,the plans would involve identifying two existing secondary schools in each of Borno’s three Senatorial zones and transforming the six schools to become of international standards.
Zulum announced allocations for other sectors, setting aside N23.8b for reconstruction of communities destroyed by insurgents, as well as the rehabilitation and resettlement of victims. He explained plans for construction of resettlement houses in Abadam, Guzamala, Kukawa, Kwaya Kusar, Dikwa, Malamfatori, Logumane, Gajibo, Gudumbali, Dalwa, Darajamal, Ngurosoye, Kirawa, Maiwa, Ashigasha among others.
For other sectoral allocations, Health and Human services got N24.2b, Ministry of Finance received N30.4b to sustain prompt payment of salaries and gratuities, Housing and Energy was allocated N8.7b for completion of a housing estate and other projects.
Zulum also announced allocation of N22.9b to Works, for the construction of a number of roads he listed and gave N10.4b to Agriculture and Natural Resources for series of farming programmes, animal and fisheries development.
The sum of N4.4b was allocated for Transport, while various amounts to other sectors including security operations through the Security Trust Fund and the Governor’s office which normally undertakes major interventions on sensitive security matters.
… Capital projects take 64%
Meanwhile in the budget proposed by Governor Zulum, 64% of the entire budget which is N172.5 billion out of N267.9 billion, was allocated for capital projects,mostly physical constructions of infrastructure, houses, schools and others.
Zulum earlier gave detailed review of the 2021 budget performance, reeling out verified statistics of projects and programmes delivered by his administration in 2021, with names of communities where the projects are located.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
