Tambuwal approves 3.5bn projects, to present 169bn 2019 budget to Assembly,

THE Sokoto State Executive Council has approved the proposed 2019 appropriation budget valued at N169,652,771,486 during its meeting headed by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal on Friday.

Commissioners that briefed newsmen at the council chamber, were the Commissioner for information, Barrister Bello Muhammad Goronyo; Commissioner for budget, Alh. Shehu Adamu Rara; Higher Education, Isah Galandachi; Health, Muhammad Ali Inname as well as Science and Technical Education, Hajia Kulu Haruna.

The Commissioner for Information disclosed that the council deliberated on the 2019 budget proposal and approved it. He also explained that the council deliberated on different memos centred on the welfare for the citizens including, education, health, transport and technical education.

He disclosed that the council approved the construction of additional structure at Sokoto State conference centre which includes, provision of shops, provision of children playground, furnishings of the auditorium among other facelift facilities to make it of international standard at the rate of N128m with the provision of 30 per cent down payment to the contractor.

The Commissioner for Health also disclosed that the council approved the completion of a General Hospital in Dange which has been abandoned since 2013 at the rate of N55m, while it approved the establishment of Advanced Diagnosis Centre in Sokoto with advanced technology like MRI, CT scans at the rate of N622m while the equipment will gulp N1.8b naira respectively.

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In the ministry of Science and Technical Education, the council approved the renovation of Olusegun Obasanjo Technical School, Bafarawa at the rate of N98m, while another N96m was also approved for the purchase of books and other education materials for the Shehu Shagari College of Education, SSCOE.

Meanwhile, the executive council also approved the reconstruction of Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar international airport road.

However, the Commissioner for information also assured civil servant in the state that issues of new minimum wage will be taking care of as soon as the committee handling it with national assembly is through with it. He disclosed that the state Governor would not mind to prepare a supplementary budget to the Assembly if the need arises.