Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir on Thursday, presented a proposal of the sum of over N465bn as the 2025 budget estimate before the State House of Assembly.
The Governor tagged the budget proposal as: ‘Budget of Consolidation, Sustainable Growth and Development’, aimed at ensuring that the state continues to witness unprecedented transformation.
While presenting the budget proposal, the Governor explained that his administration will continue to initiate policies and programs that will address the hardship faced by the people in order to make life meaningful.
He also assured that the administration will complete all ongoing developmental projects and implement programmes, pay the new minimum wage and offset the backlog of gratuities owed retired civil servants in the state.
Bala Mohammed explained that the 2025 budget, is made up of recurrent expenditure of N182.7 billion (39.3 per cent) while capital expenditure receives the sum of N282.3 billion (60.7 per cent).
He also stated that the budget was prepared based on the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework in compliance with the Bauchi State Fiscal Responsibility Law (2009), adding that it further complies with the National Format and Chart of Accounts, aimed at improving the quality of financial reporting in line with the International Public-Sector Accounting Standards.
He further noted that the 2025 budget was predicated on the assumptions of an oil production projection of 2 million barrels per day; a benchmark oil price of 75 US dollars per barrel; an exchange rate of N1,400 US dollars with an improved level of revenue accruals into the Federation Account with an improved and efficient system of Internally Generated Revenue locally at the state level.
The Governor also said that the Government, in the cause of the preparation of the budget considered the following measures which include ensuring the completion of ongoing projects, proposing new projects only on the basis of critical need and the impact they will make.
Also, reduction in non-essential overhead costs, implementation of new minimum wage, Implementation of contributory pension scheme in the state, compliance with budget guidelines issued by the Nigeria Governors’ forum, compliance with debt servicing, target favourable sources of capital receipts of financing such as aids, grants, PPPs etc.
According to him, “The 2025 proposed Budget is 18 % higher than the budget I presented at this House in 2024 as well as the supplementary budget considered by the house within the year.
“The process of the preparation of the budget was all-inclusive, budget public hearings were conducted within the three Senatorial zones where inputs from stakeholders were elicited and incorporated in the budget proposal, adoption of the community charter of demand with detail demand for interventions submitted by various communities.”
The Governor stated that the government was only able to achieve about 51.2% in the implementation of the 2024 budget as 30th September 2024.
Speaker Bauchi state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Abubakar Y Sulaiman appreciated the Governor for the timely presentation of the budget and pledged to accord the document speedy hearing and passage.
While commending the executive arm for abiding by the appropriation law, expressed satisfaction with the performance of the 2024 approved budget considering the volume of developmental projects spread across the state.
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