Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State, on Thursday, signed the state’s N244.8 billion 2020 budget into law.
The budget, which was tagged “Budget of Reflection and Progress”, was aimed at ensuring the continuation of the restoration agenda and policies of the administration.
Masari said at the ceremony in Katsina, that the government would continue to ensure that its programmes impacted positively on the lives of the people within available resources.
“We are for all people including those in the opposition and those without parties, we will live up to our oath of office to provide governance to all,” he said.
He urged members of the state House of Assembly to intensify efforts toward conducting oversight functions on government agencies with a view to ensuring judicious utilization of resources.
Masari also directed the Ministries of Budget and Economic Planning, and that of Special Duties, to organize town hall meetings to sensitize the public on the budget.
“People will know and understand what their needs are and if the government can provide such needs.
“Members of State House of Assembly should also organize town hall meetings to get information on the needs of their constituents,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that N169.3 billion, representing 69.17 per cent of the budget is for capital expenditure, while N75.5 billion, representing 30.83 per cent is for recurrent expenditure.
The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Tasiu Maigari, said that the assembly slashed the budget to N244.8 billion from the N249.5 billion presented by the governor
because the N4.5 billion was for N-power and school feeding programme.
“We look into our capital receipts that we are receiving from outside, there is the money for N-power and school feeding programme.
“So, we removed that amount from capital receipts of the state,” he said.
