Taraba Prioritises Works Ministry In N213.632bn 2020 Budget

Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku presents the state’s 2020 budget proposal at the State House of Assembly in Jalingo on December 19, 2019.

The Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, has presented the 2020 Appropriation Bill to members of the State House of Assembly.

Tagged ‘Budget of Accelerated Growth and Development’, the bill places a high premium on human and social development and guided by some micro-economic variables.

Addressing members of the Assembly on Thursday in Jalingo, Governor Ishaku said the 2020 budget estimated at N213.632.706.810 has an increase of N67.558.349.928, representing 31.63 per cent more than the 2019 budget of N146.73 billion.

He added that the budget performance of 2019 stood at 50.65 per cent with N146,73 billion.

For the 2020 estimated bill in the state, the works, housing and transport sectors got the highest allocation of N77.3billion, with a ratio of 36.06 per cent while the solid minerals sector gulped the lowest allocation of N200 million at 0.09 per cent.

Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, shakes hands with Speaker of the State House of Assembly in Jalingo on December 19, 2019.

The recurrent expenditure estimate stands at N71.569 billion naira, representing 33.5 per cent while capital expenditure estimate stands at N142.62 billion with a percentage of 66.5.

Sectoral allocations, according to the budget, reveals that the agricultural sector gets N18 billion which is 4.01 per cent, while Commerce and Industry sector gulps N1 billion representing 0.45 per cent.

Others are Finance and poverty alleviation – N3 billion, information – N1 billion, education – N11 billion, health – N14 billion, social development – N1 billion, environment and forestry – N935 million.

Governor Ishaku said his administration has resolved to grow infrastructural development and take it to another height.

He also informed the lawmakers that his administration would place a high premium on human capital development for youths of the state, hence the high allocation to the educational and health sector.

In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Joseph Kunini, assured the governor of the “willingness and readiness “of the lawmakers to give the budget an accelerated process with a view to passing it in a good time for its implementation.

He noted that the budget has taken into cognisance what the House members “intend to do for their constituencies.”

Briefing the press shortly after the budget presentation, the Speaker cleared the air on why the minimum wage was not captured in the budget for 2020 and why the agricultural sector was also given a better share in order to diversify the economy.