Niger governor presents N613. 2bn budget to Assembly for deliberation, passage.

By correspondent in Minna.
The Governor of Niger state, Mohammed Umar Bago, has presented 2024 appropriation of 613, 274, 801, 698. 00 to the Niger State House of Assembly,which focuses on Urban Renewal and Rural Transformation, Security of Lives and Property, Infrastructural Development.
According to him, it also dwells on Agriculture and Food Security, Education, Health; Water and Sanitation, Women and Children, Environmental Sustainability and People with Special Needs and Elderly Care. 
He added that the budget would also focus on self-sufficiency through intensive internal revenue generation by exploring all available sources, blocking leakages and all revenue-generating MDAs to account for all revenue receipts.
Revenue Profile according to Bago entails, total sum of N613, 274,081,698.17 proposed for the 2024 fiscal year, and the proposal is of; N149,217,969,152.00 representing 24.33% as recurrent expenditure and N464,056,832,546.60 or 75.67% of the total budget size as capital estimate.
The governor said the budget is to be financed through recurrent revenue of N298,052,655,520.00 made up of; Statutory Allocation – N155,963,711,064.00, Value Added Tax (VAT)-N50,644,000,750.00. Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) – N61,868,620,968.35
Excess Crude/Other Revenue –N9,576,322,737.00 and SURE-P Refund -N20,000,000,000.00 totalling N298,052,655,520.00
Bago also told the legislature that the 2024 budget would be financed by Capital Receipts of N315,322,146,178.00, made up of N256,459,074,825.00 and N58,763,071,353.00 as loans and grants respectively.
The Budget is based on the Economic and Fiscal Update (EFU), Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) and Budget Statement (BPS) 2024 – 2026.
“The Budget will therefore be based on the following assumptions:
Expected N5.1billion monthly IGR collection, adding however that for the administration to achieve its lofty developmental goals the “generate and “utilize funds by all the MDAs has been abolished in addition to the, Implementation of the State and Local Governments Harmonized Revenue Law, Automation of IGR Collection to block leakages
Introduction of 5% contract processing fees, entertainment on Hotels and Resorts among others.
“In anticipated Exchange Rate of N750 per USD, Bago said a projected National Inflation rate of 21.40% and GDP Growth rate of 3.78% Crude oil price benchmark of US$65 and production benchmark of 1.60 million barrels/day Expected Capital Receipt Inflow of N315,322,146,178.00.
“Proposed recurrent expenditure for the year 2024 fiscal year is; N149, 217,969,152.00 representing 24.33% of the budget consists of the following: Personnel Cost N50,614,456,657.11, Overhead Cost N29, 446, 590, 341.00, Consolidated Revenue of N69,156,922,153.39 amounting to N149,217,969,152
“Capital expenditure outlay for the year 2024 financial year, according to him is estimated to be; N464,056,832,546.60 or 75.67% of the total budget size; with the following key projects and programs which he said will be methodical and pursued with vigour to achieve the set-out objectives.
“For the state to achieve this laudable dreams, the 2024 Proposed budget termed, ‘The Budget of the Future’ have higher proportion going to capital expenditure proposal of N N464,056,832,546.60 which represents 75.67% of the total budget will squarely address the following critical areas including agriculture.
 Land remains the greatest asset to Niger state, and the arable land with the presence of large water bodies makes the state agrarian, “We shall leverage on our comparative advantage to ensure food security by making sure that farmers have access to improved agricultural inputs, cultivation of more lands, extension services, provision of tractors and attract donor support to the agricultural sector,” he said.
He said the government had earmarked funds for the buffer stock initiatives, to purchase assorted grains to address food price fluctuations in the state. “In the 2024 fiscal year, the government will procure equipment and machinery including 300 units of MF375 Power Steering Tractors, and farm implements as well as fertilizers for farmer to engender farm level productivity,”according to the Governor.
Education sub-sector has a proposed estimate of N76,276,508,605.59 in the 2024 fiscal year making it 14.55% of our total budget, this according to Governor Bago will include building of 95 schools including 6 Mega Model Schools in Minna, Bida, Suleja, Bosso and Kontagora to increase access to quality education.
In addition, 325 existing schools will be renovated including whole school development projects which can be actualised with the abolishment of the initial practice of generate and utilize and replaced with a new mechanisms for the operation of this directive being worked out the state diversify for alternative revenue base. 
The health sub-sector has a proposed budgetary allocation of N42.7 Billion. In our efforts to strengthen the Primary Healthcare system in the state, we created the Ministry of Primary Health Care. In 2024, the government will build 35 primary Healthcare Centres, and renovate, equip, and upgrade over 200 Primary Healthcare Centres across the 25 local government areas of the state. We will sustain and strengthen the existing partnerships with UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other relevant partners to enhance the quality of health.
In the area of Secondary Healthcare, the sum of N300Million is earmarked for upgrading six (6) Primary Healthcare Centres to Rural Hospitals at Katcha, Enagi, Sarkin Pawa, Agwara, Lemu and Mariga. In the year 2024, the completion of the ongoing re-modelling and upgrading of General Hospitals at Minna, Suleja, Kontagora and Tunga Magajiya will be pursued. The renovation and furnishing of other general hospitals at Bida, Agaie, Kagara, Kutigi and Mokwa will be undertaken. 
The sum of N8, 038, 800, 000. 00 is earmarked for the purchase of health equipment to be supplied to general hospitals across the state. Under tertiary healthcare, the sum of N2.253 billion has been allocated for the conversion of Shiroro Hotel to a Teaching Hospital and N968.751 million for the procurement and installation of essential medical equipment, Bago who announced his preferred title, Farmer Governor of Niger state said.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.