Lalong Presents 172.5 Billion Naira Budget Estimates to Plateau Assembly

By Jide Afolabi, Jos

The Plateau State Governor, Rt Hon Simon Bako Lalong has presented the 2020 budget estimate of 172, 596, 317, 577.00 billion Naira to the Plateau State House of Assembly. It has an increase of 19, 059, 127, 508.00 billion Naira representing 12.41% from the 2019 budget.

The proposal christened “Budget of Rescue and Infrastructural Consolidation” has a recurrent expenditure of 98, 146, 697, 900.00 billion Naira and capital expenditure of 74, 449, 619, 677 representing 56.86% and 43.14% respectively of the total budget.

The budget has a total recurrent revenue of 71, 211, 673, 723.00 billion Naira which consists of Internally Generates Revenue, Statutory Revenue Allocation, Re-Imbursement and others which includes NNPC, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Exchange Gains Rate, etc.

Expected Capital Receipts stands at 101, 384, 643, 854.00 billion Naira consisting Value Added Tax, Draw Down from Donor Projects, External Loans, Internal Loans, Investment (General), Domestic Grants (General) and Domestic Loans.

The budget has a deficit of 32, 903, 249, 000.00 billion Naira representing 19% of the total budget.

In recurrent expenditure, personnel cost would gulp 37, 000, 600, 000 billion Naira while Overhead Cost stands at 27, 086, 456, 000.00 billion Naira. Consolidated Revenue Fund Charge amounts to 34, 059, 641, 900.00 billion Naira.

With regards to sectoral allocation under the capital expenditure, the administrative sector, economic sector, law/justice sector and social sector would gulp 15.64%, 59.23%, 0.81%, and 24.32% respectively of the capital estimate.

In terms of sub-sectoral allocation, works and transport has the largest with a total sum 14, 030, 000, 000.00 billion Naira followed by the education sector with 10, 744, 674, 677.00 billion Naira representing 14.43% while the Science and Technology sector has the least attention with paltry 165, 000, 000.00 million Naira representing 0.22% voted.

The Governor intimated the house on the significance of revenue generation to any successful budget implementation. He added that the government has approved the appointment of a reputable revenue expert to facilitate the maximization of internally generated revenue accruable to the state.

He noted that “it is hoped will accelerate significance increase which before now had witnessed an increase from an average of 800, 000, 000 million Naira to slightly over 1.1 billion Naira IGR per month”.

Lalong said that his government is committed to good governance and accountability.

He said, “Our approach to sustainable governance policy implementation and staff welfare will continue to be given priority consideration. For example, the issue of the New National Minimum Wage has recently been in the front-burner.

“Government appreciates the Organised Labour and Civil Servants as partners in progress. We see the yearnings or demands for increase in the minimum wage as a genuine source for motivation, improved productivity and general improvement in the living conditions of our Civil Servants and their families.

“I have accordingly approved the constitution of government committee to negotiate with the organised labour with a view to coming out with modalities for implementation.

“We share in the challenges faced by all and sundry in the light of some market forces that could defeat the good intention behind salary increase. With the Bill now passed into Law at the National Level and accented to by Mr. President, we are also fully committed to its implementation and have therefore made provisions in the coming fiscal year to address the issues.

“Similarly, as part of our new strategic plans for sustainable Human and Infrastructural Growth, we intend to upscale our Internally Generated Revenue through levies and rates for social services in accordance with Extant Laws.

“Through our planned Economic Summit too, we hope to improve our investments in productive sectors of the economy to increase our earnings, provide some palliative measures for the citizens, as well as fund some of our development programmes.

“Furthermore, execution of Projects and Programmes will continue to occupy front burner in our determination to deliver efficient services to the people.
It is in this respect that The Project Monitoring and Result Delivery Unit domiciled in the Office of the Chief of Staff has been established under Office of the Executive Governor with clear mandate to ensure diligent tracking of Projects and Programmes implementation by all the MDAs.”

He thanked the good people of Plateau State for their “trust, understanding, perseverance, resolute determination and collective support that returned his administration for the second term.”

In his response, the Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Ayuba Abok promised that the House would accord the budget the deserved attention saying that details attention would be paid to due diligence and thorough scrutiny.

“We will take oversight functions seriously.” He started. He, however, advised the executive to present the 2021 budget by September 2020 so as to return the budget cycle to January-December.

The Majority Leader of the House moved for the adoption of the budget estimate while member representing Qua’An Pan South seconded it.