Infrastructure, water, education get N83b in Kano

Jacob Ajakaiye in Kano

Analysts are of the view that the proposed pattern of public spending is not different from what it has been since the advent of the administration in 2015.

Delivering the financial plan tagged ‘budget of sustainable development’ to the State House of Assembly on Wednesday, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, disclosed that the biggest allocation of #38.31 billion of the budget was for provision of infrastructure.

 The water sector received the second highest allocation of #26.4 billion, followed by the education sector which got the third biggest allocation of #18 billion.

According to the governor, “the 2019 budget is designed in a way so as to attain the developmental agenda of the administration which is geared at developing the state in all ramifications”.

He said the budget would focus on efficient and effective public spending through prudent public financial management process by continuing a synergy and cooperation it started with all stakeholders in the state”.

Highlighting on the policies and detailed budget allocations, Ganduje said, “the total projected recurrent revenue for the year 2019 is estimated at the sum of N156, 761, 637, 947 which consist of N45 billion as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and N101, 761, 637, 947 as revenue from federation account.

“The total recurrent revenue is higher than that of the year 2018 by N11, 801, 941.73 representing 12 per cent. The proposed capital expenditure for the 2019 fiscal year is N134, 065, 152, 619 which is lower than that of 2018 by N29, 117,285, 476 as it is to be financed by N71, 171, 572, 780 expected recurrent revenue surplus and total capital receipts of N62, 893, 579, 839.

“The capital receipt is made up of N28, 017, 500, 000 as expected internal and external loans. N32, 422, 885, 355 is estimated grants.  N1. 925 billion miscellaneous receipts and treasury opening balance of N530, 194, 484.”

Ganduje further stated that the focus of the 2019 budget would be on completing on-going projects in health, education, rural roads, power, water and agriculture and other critical infrastructure.”

However, Ministry of Water Resources got the second highest allocation of N26.4 billion; agriculture, N9.4 billion; education, N18 billion; environment, N3 billion; health, N2.5 billion; rural development, N2 billion, commerce and industry, N1.6 billion; security and justice, N2.8 billion; women and social development, N861 million; and general administration, N7.8 billion.

Noting that the budget was the fourth and the last budget presentation of his first tenure in office, he said under his leadership, Kano State was among the few states which managed to withstand the impact of the 2016/2017 recession occasioned by the related Global financial crisis.

“…By maintaining an expansionary fiscal policy stance, we were able to improve the revenue generation drive, with a view to minimizing dependency on the grants coming from the Federation Account. This accorded our government, the fiscal strength to invest in critical economic and social infrastructure such as water, energy, roads, schools and health facilities across the state” the governor explained.