Zulum to commissioners: I won’t entertain submissions outside 2020 budget

Borno Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum on Friday signed the 2020 appropriation bill into law during which he told commissioners that he will not entertain any submission to fund any project or programme that is not provided for in the budget.

He spoke at the executive council chambers of the Government house in Maiduguri.

Zulum presented his first budget of N134.5 on December 2, 2019 to the state assembly and the lawmakers passed the budget on December 23 with an increase to N146.8 billion for which the assembly’s deputy speaker, Abdullahi Musa Askira explained,  was to make up for gaps identified by the lawmakers during deliberations.

The Governor thanked the assembly members  for accelerated passage of the budget and said he intends to be strict in adhering to provisions.

“Under no circumstance should any member of the executive council (mostly commissioners) make any financial submission that is not provided for in the 2020 budget. All submissions to the executive council or to me must follow the provisions of the budget. Submissions will first of all be subjected to budgetary evaluation to ensure there is provision for them before the submissions are even considered. If we follow the provisions of the budget, we will make things easier for ourselves and we will achieve so much in orderly manner. We will be strict in implementing our budget” Zulum said.

Deputy Speaker Askira said earlier that the lawmakers were happy with the governor’s policy of respecting the separation of powers which guarantees the independence of the legislature. The Governor’s policy, he noted, makes them carry out their oversight functions most effectively.

Borno’s Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan who coordinated the brief ceremony, quoted constitutional provisions upon which the governor presented and signed the budget into law.