Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani-Bello on Wednesday, presented N198.2 billion budget proposal of 2022 to the House of Assembly.
The budget is made up of N124.08 billion, representing 62.59% for capital expenditure and N74.1 billion, representing 37.41% as recurrent expenditure.
The 2022 budget estimates tagged, “Budget of Consolidated Development” are marginally higher than the 2021 original budget with 12.75% (N44.8 billion) N153.4 billion budget for 2021, respectively.
The capital expenditure for 2022 budget proposal is an improvement on the 2021 initial budget with 21.11% while the recurrent expenditure for 2022 is also more than the 2021 initial budget with 1.07%
Presenting the budget, Sani-Bello said the 2022 budget for the capital expenditure is based on the approved Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) 2022-2024, the Medium Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) of all sectors in the state, which provided basis for capital allocation to Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
According to him, the state projected N198.2 billion as the total revenue for the 2022 financial year, which includes Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N17.1 billion or 8.68% billion, N20.7 billion or 10.49% billion from Value Added Tax (VAT), N54.2 billion or 27.39% billion from statutory allocation, among others.
Giving a sectoral breakdown of the budget, the governor said the economic sector comprising of “Agriculture and Rural Development, Livestock, Infrastructural Development, Commerce and Investment, Energy, Water Supply, Transport and Environment has the lion share of N87.4 billion, representing 71.08% of capital allocation.
“Social Sector: This sector includes education, health, social development, youth and sports which is second with proposed allocation of N25.3 billion or 20.62%.
“Administrative sector includes Government House, House of Assembly, the Office of the Head of Service, Information and the SSG’s Office, Statutory Commissions received the third highest allocation of 7.68% or N9.4 billion.
“Law and Justice Sector: The Sector has proposed allocation of N760 million or 0.62%. The High Court of Justice, Sharia Court of Appeal, Judicial Service Commission and the Law Reform Commission fall under this group.
The health Sub-sector has the highest allocation of N20.3billion representing 16.41% of the 2022 capital budget with information having the lowest estimate of N467.6 billion.
The Governor disclosed that the implementation and monitoring of the 2022 budget is very important to his government as it is the last full budget to be implemented by this administration pointing out that he is determined to enshrine an enduring legacy of prudence, accountability and transparency in the service to humanity.
He maintained that the past six years have been an opportunity for his administration to make remarkable impacts which he said were not without challenges adding that posterity will vindicate the sincerity of purpose of his government.
The governor maintained that government has invested so much in the wake of persistent security challenges in the provision of security equipments, and management of security architecture in the state which he said has affected the ability of his administration to deliver on its projected capital expenditures in 2021.
While reassuring the people of Niger state of his commitment to return peace and normalcy in the affected communities in no distant time, the governor disclosed that to strengthen the security architecture in the state, the Vigilante Corps Law has been passed which has now changed the nomenclature of the Ministry for Local Government to Ministry for Local Government, Community Development, Chieftaincy Affairs and Internal Security.
The governor appreciated the Legislative arm for the cordial and harmonious working relationship existing between the two arms attributing it to the proactive leadership style of both arms.
He was accompanied by his deputy, Muhammad Ketso and other members of his cabinet.
The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Wuse commended the Governor for the early presentation of the budget and acknowledged the wide gap between the Capital and Recurrent Expenditure.
Wuse assured that the legislators will scrutinize the budget with all sense of sincerity, promising to step up their oversight function to ensure full implementation of the 2022 budget when passed into law.
