Nasarawa Assembly passes 2020 budget of N108.4bn

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has passed the 2020 Appropriation Bill of N108.4 billion.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, announced the passage of the 2020 budget during plenary on Monday in Lafia.

The budget was passed following a motion by the Majority Leader, Tanko Tunga (APC-Awe North) and seconded by the Minority Leader, Danladi Jatau (PDP-Kokona West).

Balarabe-Abdullahi said the budget was raised by over N7 billion from the N100.5 billion submitted by Governor Abdullahi Sule and unanimously passed by the assembly.

According to him, the increment is meant to take care of some critical developmental projects that have a direct bearing on the lives of the people.

He said that the passage of the budget would allow the state government to complete on-going projects and execute new ones.

“A bill for a law to authorise the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state (Appropriation Bill) of N108, 444, 805, 614.00 kobo only.

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“For the services of Nasarawa State Government for the period of twelve months commencing from January 1, 2020, and ending December 31, 2020, has been read for the third time and passed,” he said.

The speaker urged the Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs) to adhere strictly to the budget provision when the governor finally assents to it.

He directed the clerk of the house to produce a clean copy of the bill for the governor’s assent.

Similarly, the assembly passed into law a Bill for the Prohibition of the Act of Kidnapping and for other connected purposes.

It also passed into law the Bill to amend the Nasarawa State Fiscal Responsibility Commission Law 2013.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor had on December 4 presented the 2020 budget proposal of N100.52 billion to the Assembly for consideration and approval.

Sule who tagged the budget as “Budget of Inclusive Development” said that it was anchored on his administration’s policy of transparency, accountability and prudence. (NAN)