Kaduna approves N62bn for 23 LGs

KADUNA state has approved the sum of N62bn for the twenty three local government areas of the state as expenditure for the 2017 fiscal year.

This is even as the state council said the autonomy granted to the local government by governor El-rufai is yielding positive results.

Speaking with newsmen at the end of the Council meeting at Government House on Tuesday, the state Commissioner for Local Government, Alh Jaafaru Sani explained that the draft budget of the councils will be sent to State House of Assembly for the passage.

Sani, said government was targeting that the 2018 council budget will be 60% capital and 40% recurrent adding that this year’s proposal will clear gratuity arrears and other issues affecting the councils.

The commissioner said the government was determined to ensure that the councils match the state government’s commitment to a 60% and 40% capital to recurrent ratio in their budget.

”Actual percentage of the local government 10 share of state internally generated revenue amounting to the sum of N5bn was captured for the local government areas as against the sum of N1bn initially captured, resulting to N3bn increase in the total proposed revenue.

“The initial budget size was N59,233,312,655.00,while the current budget size is N62,302,538,532.00.This is as a result of the N3,069,225,877 increase in the proposed revenue.

He added: “The breakdown of the budget is as follows: personnel cost=N30,569,749,692.00, overhead cost-5,187,983,302.00 and capital-26,544,538,537.00. Totalling N62,302,538,532.00.

“The 60%:40% capital to recurrent ratio could not be achieved due to: Arrears on Pension contribution, arrears on personnel cost and high level of personnel cost across the 23 local government councils” the commissioner said.