…’I Won’t Leave Debt For My Successor’ -Zulum
…Lists 46 Achievable Targets In 2024
By Inusa Ndahi, Maiduguri
The governor of Borno State, Babagana Umara Zulum, on Wednesday, presented a budget of N340 billion for the 2024 fiscal year, from which health, education and works received major allocations, to the state House of Assembly for consideration.
Health was allocated N51 billion, while education and works and housing were allowed N39 billion and N45 billion respectively.
Tagged ‘Budget of Consolidation and Progress,’ a total of N198,293,223,000 was allocated for capital expenditure, while N142,326,613,000.00 was allocated for recurrent expenditure.
The budget, Zulum noted, will be financed from the recurrent revenue of N206,803,053,000.00, which comprises FAAC revenue and internally generated revenue, IGR, and capital receipts of N128,816,783,000.00, comprising of aids and grants, as well as capital development funds.
Budgetary sectoral allocations showed that the Ministry of Finance got N53 billion allocated for its capital and recurrent expenditures, including debt servicing, salary payment and gratuities to the retirees.
Other sectors like the Ministry of Agriculture got N13 billion, the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement got N20 bollion, the Ministry of Water Resources got N9.7 billoon, and Ministry of Information and Internal Security got N9.6 billion.
Various amounts were allocated to all other sectors as well.
Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, commended Governor Zulum for his achievements over the years.
He assured the governor of the state Assembly’s resolve and commitment to pass the appropriation bill on time.
Lawan also expressed happiness with the cordial relationship that exist between the legislature and the executive arm of government in the state, which according to him has assisted tremendously in the successes recorded.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum, who is serving his second term and the last tenure, has promised to ensure that whoever is succeeding him will not be inheriting debts owed by the state government.
Zulum said he plans to clear all debts before the end of the ongoing second term.
He averred, “As we are gradually exiting from office, I plan to ensure that, insha’Allah, I’ll leave a clean slate to the incoming administration. I want to ensure that we pay all debts so that anybody who is taking over from me will have a clean slate to begin with. May Almighty in his mercy, help us.”
Also as part of his budget presentation, Governor Zulum took time to list out 46 deliverables he plans to achieve in the 2024 fiscal year, which cuts across various sectors.
