2017 budget: Kaduna govt earmarks N1.3bn for refuse evacuation

The Kaduna State Government has earmarked N1.3 billion for refuse evacuation in the 2017 budget proposal, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

According to the 2017 budget presented to the State House of Assembly by Governor Nasiru El-Rufai, N1.3 billion is set aside for refuse evacuation out of the total budget of N 216.9 billion.

The state government and the Ministry of Budget and Planning allocated a total of N1.5 billion for Identification and Assessment of Ecological Problems Areas in the state.

The document also indicated that N609.2 million would be spent on the construction of three dumpsites in each senatorial districts and 10 transfer stations; six in Kaduna, three in Zaria and one in Kafanchan.

“Also N40 million was provided for purchase of 10,000 galvanised metal refuse containers to facilitate refuse evacuation. N100 million was also allocated for desilting and dredging of River Kaduna, while N150 million would be spent on construction of 10 public toilets within the state.

“Also N100 million would be spent on Geophysical and Geochemical Survey of three Mineral Deposits sites, while N58 million would be spent on the purchase of Information Communication Technology (ICT) equipment.”

According to the budget proposal, provisions are also made for the construction of one weather station worth N20 million and procurement and installation of laboratory equipment at the cost of N15 million.

The state’s Commissioner for Environment, Mr Shehu Giwa, told NAN that the construction of the 10 transfer stations will be completed within 12 weeks.

The state also said it will spend N3.9 billion for design, installation and management of the State Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) in 2017.

NAN reports that this amount is contained in the 2017 budget estimate submitted to the State Assembly by the governor last week.

In the budget, a copy of which NAN obtained, the state government had proposed a N215.92 billion budget estimate for 2017, comprising capital expenditure of N130.35 billion and recurrent expenditure is N85.57 billion.

The state government said it would spend the amount to strengthen the KADGIS in the coming year and to recover all public lands encroach into by some individuals.

According to the budget, the state government will spend N131.43 million as compensation on acquired land, survey and demarcation of layouts.

“Upgrade, review of Kaduna master plan and mapping, review of Zaria/Sabon-Gari and preparation of 18 other master plan mappings, will cost N176.438 million.

“Also, the systematic property registration programme would cost N63 million,’’ the governor stated in the budget.