Gombe State Works, Housing And Transport Sectors Gets Highest Budget

Governor Muhammadu Yahaya has presented a proposed budget of 207. 750, 200, 000.00 naira, out of which Works, Housing and Transport sectors top the chat, with a proposal of 50, 962, 500, 000 naira.

While presenting the estimated budget on the floor of the Gombe State House of Assembly, tagged ‘Budget of Continuity and Consolidation,’ Governor Yahaya said the proposed budget was arrived at to continue to provide for the developmental needs of the people of the state in the 2024 fiscal year.

According to Governor Yahaya, of the total proposed budgeted sum, capital expenditure takes 58%, representing 120, 500, 000, 000.00 naira, while recurrent expenditure will take 42%, which is 87, 250, 200, 000.00 naira.

According to him, the sum allocated for Works, Housing and Transport Sectors, which is being proposed to realize the projects undertaken in his first term in office, such as the network-1100 project, which recorded huge successes, with the construction of over 700 kilometres of roads across the state, while the housing sector recorded the construction of about 1,000 housing units through separate partnerships with the North-East Development Commission and the Family Home Funds Limited.

“The creation of the Gombe Special Capital Development Zone, brings a new impetus to urban planning and development, while our plan to build a befitting state secretariat, House of Assembly Complex and the State Judicial Complex is expected to commence in the year 2024,” Governor Yahaya said.

He said his administration had demonstrated a strong commitment to tackling environmental challenges, through the setting up of a task force to restore the grazing and forest reserves, while working on issuing a 50-billion-naira Green Bond to raise funding for environment-related investments.

Governor Yahaya said the government intended to generate the sum of N121,911,945,500.00 as recurrent revenues, and the sum of N138,911,745,500.00 as capital receipts, while the estimated closing balance for 2023 was expected to be N18,411,745,500.00.

For Revenue and Expenditure Estimates, the Gombe state Governor said are expected to be sourced from N22,307,745, 500.00 IGR, N42,000,000,000.00 Statutory Allocation, N30,000,000,000.00 Government share of VAT, as well as N27,604,200,000.00 from other FAAC receipts.

“Recurrent Expenditure: comprises of the following: Personnel Cost: N28,102,745,000.00: Overhead Cost, N29,368,255,000.00: Social benefits, N7,055,500,000.00: Debt repayments, N22,425,000,000.00; Grants and subsidies, N298,700,000.00: Capital Receipts. This is expected to be accrued from: Opening Balance, N10,000,000,000.00, Transfer from Consolidated Revenue Fund: N44,661,745,000.00, Other Capital Receipts: N8,000,000,000.00, Domestic Grants: N5,000,000,000.00, External Grants: N 7,500,000,000.00, External Credit: N23,750,000,000.00 and Domestic borrowings: N50,000,000,000.00:,” governor Yahaya said.

Following closely behind the Works, Housing and Transport sectors Water Resources, Environment and Forest Resources subsector, which are proposed to gulp N18, 365, 600,000.00, while Agriculture, Livestock and Co-operatives, will take N7, 366, 000, 000.00.

According to the Gombe state Governor, the sum is being proposed to boost agricultural productivity, support farmers in the state, enhance rural livelihoods, and promote agribusiness as a key driver of economic growth.

Health and education sectors follow, with N5,953,200,500.00 being proposed for the Health sector, while N5,768,000,000.00 is being proposed for the Education sector.

Governor Yahaya said his administration’s commitment was to revitalize the health sector, which he said had so far recorded huge successes during his first term, with the provision of one fully functional Primary Healthcare Centre in each of the 114 wards of the State.

Other sectors and their allocations are Trade, Industry and Tourism, which has a budget proposal of N3, 510,000,000.00, to consolidate on creating the enabling business environment for businesses.

Land Administration is proposed to gulp N1, 980, 000, 000.00 in efforts to address the challenges of land administration and development control, as well as strengthen the operations of the Gombe State Geographical Information System, GOGIS and launch its Phase II.

Science, Technology and Innovation have been proposed to have N169, 100, 000.00, to consolidate on the gains recorded in Governor Yahaya’s first term, such as the preparation of the State ICT policy, organizing Science Technology, Innovation, Agriculture and Minerals Expo, training of innovators and entrepreneurs, revitalizing the Gombe Technology Incubation Centres, as well as our successful participation in National and International Science, Technology and Innovation competitions and Expos.

N2, 460, 000, 000.00 is being proposed for Youth and Sports Development for the administration of Governor Yahaya to stem the tide of youth restiveness and unemployment, harness the vast potentials of our youths and re-direct their energies toward productive activities.

According to him, the sum is being proposed to further achieve the objectives of the various policies and programmes his administration embarked upon for the creation of job opportunities and building the skills of the youths.

“These include the YESSO/3G program, the At-Risk Children Project (ARC-P), Gombe State Traffic and Environmental Corps (GOSTEC), the Keke Riders Scheme, the Gombe GO-CARES program, among numerous other programs,” said Governor Yahaya.

N1, 197, 500, 000.00 is being proposed for Women Affairs and Social Development to improve on the implementation of policies towards women empowerment and deepening social protection, like the free skills acquisition, increasing participation of women in governance, promotion of Girl-child Education, and the launch of the state Social Protection Policy.

Internal Security and Home Affairs is proposed to take N550,000,000.00 to continue to secure the lives and property of the people, as well as enhance the ministry’s continued provision of the required support to law enforcement agencies and enable them to deliver their statutory mandates, engage local stakeholders in enhancing peace-building, and strengthen conflict resolution mechanisms at the local level.

Local Government and Community Development is proposed to have N130, 000, 000.00 for the Local Government and Community Development.

N805, 000, 000.00 has been proposed for the Information, Culture and Ethical Orientation Ministry, for the government’s commitment to engaging people across different platforms to create awareness and collect valuable feedback and insights on various policies and programmes.

According to Governor Yahaya, “We are also committed to protecting and preserving our cherished cultural heritage while instilling ethical values in our youths. In this vein, the sum of only is allocated for the information and culture subsector in the 2024 fiscal year,”.

He said General Administration was proposed at N3,879,500,000.00 for the development of a competent, efficient and result-driven civil service, while Law and Justice was expected to have N2,426,800,000.00 aimed at ensuring the keen preservation of judicial autonomy, facilitating the proper functioning of the judiciary and ensure harmonious working relations among the three arms of government.

The Gombe state governor said the 2024 budget was crafted with a keen understanding of local, national and global economic realities to develop and implement policies and programmes that were strategic, forward-looking and people-oriented.

Governor Yahaya said the 2023 budget performance stood at N101,034,735,227.51 as of 30th September 2023, representing 57.4.%.

He urged the State House of Assembly to scrutinize the budget and provide constructive insights that would enrich the document and enhance its impacts on the lives and livelihoods of the people of Gombe State.

 

Olusola Akintonde