Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed yesterday presented the sum of N195,355,607,143 (N195.3 billion) budget proposal to the State House of Assembly for the 2022 fiscal year in the state.
The governor who presented the budget Thursday during the plenary of the House said the proposed 2022 Budget is 8.5 % lower than that of this year, which comprises Recurrent Expenditure of N84,375,180,518:00 or 43 % while Capital Expenditure receives the sum of N110,620,426,625:00 or 57 %.
Mohammed explained that the reduction was arrived at in order to align the State’s projections with the current economic realities, especially in relation to its ability to meet anticipated revenues. “This conservative approach was adopted to ensure that projects and programmes captured are implemented,” he said.
The governor noted that the 2022 budget is focused on ensuring the completion of ongoing projects only, adding that new projects should be proposed only on the basis of critical need and the immediate impact they would make on the lives of the people. And the reduction in non-essential overheads should be ensured, just like the compliance with budget guidelines issued by the Nigerian Governors Forum to ensure peer review and comparability.
“We have remained committed to working with the security agencies towards maintaining social order, peace and security across the state, and will continue to take every step to ensure that the security of lives and property of the citizens is guaranteed and that the state remains acknowledged as one of the most peaceful.”