Plateau govt to spend N1bn on LG election in 4 council areas

Plateau State Government has budgeted the sum of N1 billion for the acquisition of election materials for local government election in four council areas where elections were suspended last year due to insecurity.

Giving the breakdown of 2020 budget, the State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Sylvester Wallangko said the amount was earmarked for the pending elections in Jos North, Jos South, Barakin-Ladi and Riyom local governments in case the government is set to conduct the elections.

He said the 2020 budget tagged, “Budget of Rescue and Infrastructural Consolidation”, was aimed at coalescing on the infrastructural development of the state in the midst of daunting challenges, adding that the budget estimate of N177. 7 billion was projected based on the macroeconomic variables from the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) of the state.

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The Commissioner said the implementation of the budget will be anchored on the 3-Pillar Policy Thrust of the administration with an emphasis on the completion of the ongoing projects and programmes.

Mr Wallangko pointed out that the 2020 budget was 15.50 per cent higher than the 2019 budget and threatened that the government will deal decisively with any group or individual both in public and private sector that tries to frustrate its efforts on revenue collection as it looks inward to finance the 2020 budget.

The State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Sylvester Wallangko said to implement the strategic and critical developmental policies and programmes as contained in the budget, a lot of funding is needed.

He implored the people of the state to cooperate with revenue authorities in the payment of their taxes and levies, adding that the citizens’ commitment is highly required in this regard to bring development to the state especially in terms of infrastructural development.

“Government is highly determined to continue to maintain zero tolerance for corruption and mismanagement of state resources by ensuring financial discipline transactions as we key into the State’s Transparency Accountability and Sustainability Program (SFTAS) of the World Bank and the Federal Government,” he said.