FIC Report (Jos) – Governor Simon Bako Lalong of plateau state has signed into Law the 2020 budget of N177.3 Billion Naira with a charge on the Ministry of Finance, Budget and planning and all MDAs to ensure effective implementation of the budget.
Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Banquet hall of the Government House on Monday, Lalong said apart from setting new targets for the state Internal Revenue Service, Government has approved the appointment of a reputable revenue expert to facilitate the maximization of internally generated revenue accruable to the state.
The budget tagged, “Budget of Rescue and Infrastructural Consolidation” is aimed at consolidating on the gains and achievements of the Rescue Administration.
“At this point, I will like to stress our efforts to meeting our revenue targets especially the internally Generated Revenue (IGR) which is crucial to funding the 2020 budget.”
According to him, this budget is fashioned In line with the implementation of the Rescue Administration’s Three pillar policy of Peace, security and Good Governance, Infrastructural Development, and sustainable priority.
The budget of N172,596,317,577.00 was earlier presented on the floor of State House of Assembly by Governor Lalong on 16/11/2019, the House however increased the budget to the tune of N177,340,521,774.00 indicating an increase of Four Billion, Seven Hundred and Forty Four Million, Two Hundred and Four Thousand, One Hundred and Ninety Seven Naira (N4,744,204,197.00).
Lalong said they are determined to continue to enhance their capacity and track record of prudence, accountability and transparency in expending public funds.
“You are aware that earlier this month, the Second corruption survey Report released by the National Bureau of statistics (NBA) ranked plateau state as the second least corrupt state in Nigeria. This is a great record that we must sustain as we empower and strengthen the work of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Efficiency Unit and Bureau for Public Procurement which all work towards vetting Procurement and ensuring that there is no wasteful and exaggerated spending.”
While thanking the members of the state House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the appropriation bill, Lalong assured them of full cooperation to see that the budget is faithfully implemented so as to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
Giving the synopsis of the budget, the Commissioner, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Sylvester Wallangko, said the budget was prepared based on the present Macro- Economic variables from the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Medium Term Sector Strategy, adding that it was aimed at addressing critical sociology, economic and Infrastructural Development.
The Commissioner further said, the implementation of the budget is anchored on the 3-pillar policy Trust of this administration with particular emphasis on the completion of on-going projects and the execution of critical ones with the aim of addressing the Infrastructural imbalances In the state.
He added the increase in the budget by the Plateau state House of Assembly was as a result of the inclusion of projects and Programmes that were not envisaged at the Executive level of the budget preparation for the fiscal year.
Correspondent Francis Lahnim kusa
FIC JOS.
