PROTOCOLS
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
Wa Sallallahu ala Nabiyul-Karim
Ladies and Gentlemen
As-Salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah
I am delighted to address our Honourable House on the occasion of presentation of the 2020 Finance and Appropriation Bills, today.
- Let me state from the on-set that, beyond stock taking of what was achieved in 2019, this occasion provides an opportunity for us to present some of the key elements of our annual plan for the 2020 financial year.
- Our budget is about the lives of our people, values and about our vision, mission, commitment to work hard, sacrifice and resolute determination to move our State forward, to the path of socio-economic prosperity.
- The Honourable Members of the House and our dignitaries gathered here, may recall that during our inauguration, I laid out an ambitious, but determined, agenda to build on the progress our state has made and to take it to the Next Level. I stated then that, we would do this through the formulation of sound policies and implementation of different programmes that would address the critical needs of our people in agriculture, education, healthcare, water supply and infrastructural development, among others.
- You may also recall that, I have called on our people to give us their support and to pray for Almighty Allah’s guidance as we make these policies and implement these programmes. I am pleased to report to the Honourable House that, the support which our administration continues to enjoy from people across the state is indeed encouraging and overwhelming.
- We are also encouraged by a report of the Progressive Governors’ Forum Secretariat released in October which rated our State second, in terms of new governance initiatives among all the 18 APC-controlled states in the Country.
- I want to assure you that, we would continue to introduce new initiatives and take bold steps to make Yobe State, the true “Pride of the Sahel”. We would do whatever it takes to bring the much-needed socio-economic development that would make our people happy and promote their well-being.
REVIEW OF THE 2019 BUDGET
- Let me now briefly make a review of our performance in the 2019 Financial Year. As the Honourable Members may recall, N91.6 billion was budgeted to Finance Capital and Recurrent Expenditure. The actual budgetary receipts from the Federation Account Allocations, Internally Generated Revenue and other sources, however, stood at N68.9 billion or 75.2 percent of what was projected.
- The actual total recurrent expenditure for the year now stands at N39 billion, while the capital spending stands at N25 billion. This amounts to 62 percent and 78 percent of implementation successes, respectively.
- During the period under review, the Yobe State Government has undertaken key social and infrastructural projects and programmes. For instance, we have procured 9,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer at the cost of N1.7 billion. These will be sold to farmers at the subsidised price of N3000 per bag.
- We have also jointly with the Local Government Councils, procured 103 tractors at the cost of N1.4 billion. We directed that the tractors should be allocated to women, youth and elder farmer groups to boost agricultural activities in the State.
- We have also continued to fund our Cargo International Airport project having paid a little over five billion naira to the contractors handling the project. The sum of N8.9 billion has also been paid to cover other ongoing road projects.
- The Honourable House may wish to note that, we have successfully resuscitated the Yobe Woven Sacks Factory, the Yobe Flour and Feed Mills and the Yobe Aluminium Company. The total sum of N259 million was expended to put these three companies back to production.
- Similarly, our administration has awarded contract for the construction of the Damaturu Ultra-Modern Market at the cost of N2.8 billion. We have equally laid the foundation for the construction of the Potiskum Truck Transit Park in partnership with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
- Furthermore, we have also incurred numerous other expenditures in the governance sector, including the payment of N3.8 billion pensions and gratuities, in addition to expenditures in Law and Justice and the Social sectors.
THE 2020 BUDGET
- Having reviewed the 2019 Budget performance, let me now turn to the 2020 budget, which I am here to present.
- As I stated earlier, we plan to implement together far-reaching policies and programmes that would transform our State and improve the living standard and condition of our people.
- For this reason, we have decided to tag the 2020 budget as the “Budget of Continuity and Consolidation”.
- We intend to spend the sum of N108,414,101,082 (One Hundred and Eight Billion, Four Hundred and Fourteen Million, One Hundred and One Thousand, and Eighty-Two Naira) to execute various projects and programmes. This sum represents an increase of N16.7 billion or 15.5 percent over that of 2019 Fiscal Year.
- Of the total proposed budget sum, we plan to spend the sum of N58,048,101,082 or 53.5% to cater for recurrent expenditure and N50, 366, 000, 000 or 46.5% to cater for capital expenditure programmes.
THE FOCUS OF 2020 BUDGET
The Budget will give attention to the following key areas:
- Firstly, it would build on the momentum to revitalize our education sector.
- You may recall that since our assumption of office, we have taken proactive approaches to addressing the challenges in our education sector, especially in primary and secondary education. We have organised and hosted an education summit, set up a Technical Committee on the Revitalization of Basic and Secondary Education and resolved to implement the recommendations of the Committee.
- Secondly, the 2020 Budget, will seek to boost agriculture by encouraging a transition from our traditional subsistent to commercial farming. Our administration is poised to improve food security and provide avenues for wealth creation and youth empowerment.
- Thirdly, we will seek to improve access to qualitative and affordable healthcare for our people by upgrading healthcare infrastructure and making sure that our hospitals, clinics, and health centres have the basic requirements to function efficiently and effectively.
- Fourthly, it will also build and upgrade critical infrastructure such as roads, water supply and sanitation facilities, electricity, among others to accelerate our effort in post-insurgency resettlement, rehabilitation, reconstruction and peace building.
- Lastly, the budget will also focus on tapping from our vast solid mineral and tourism potentials and promoting commercial activities by providing incentives to attract private investments and entrepreneurship.
- We have already started discussions with potential domestic and foreign investors for the construction of a new cement factory in the State to effectively utilize our abundant gypsum and limestone deposits. We are also exploring a wide range of partnerships to build meat processing and diary factories for export.
- I wish to reiterate that, subject to the availability of our resources, the five key areas I have mentioned above are the key objectives which the 2020 budget intends to achieve and focus on.
In specific terms, some of the key allocations to the MDAs in the budget are as follows:
a. Works, Transport and Energy: – N16.078 billion
b. Land, Housing and Property Development – N8.846 billion
c. Education: – N22.853 billion
d. Agriculture – N4.645 billion
e. Health – N12.658 billion
f. Water Resources – N1.968 billion
g. Commerce, Industry and Tourism – N4.429 billion
h. Yobe State House of Assembly – N2.188 billion
i. Government House – N3.154 billion
j. Office of the SSG – N4.331 billion
k. Office of the Head of Service – N1.611 billion - Mr. Speaker and Honourable Members, full details of the 2020 Budget are contained in the Finance and Appropriation Bills, I am presenting to you today. The Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Finance, and that of Budget and Planning and of Political Affairs are hereby directed to brief the press on the details of the budget proposals.
- In line with our reform agenda, four additional Ministries will be created making the total number of Ministries in the State to twenty. The existing Ministries in the State will be re-positioned to ensure effective service delivery.
- Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, let me now speak on the issue of security in our State.
- There is no doubt that, despite recent isolated incidences, there is general improvement in the security situation in the State. This in fact was achieved as a result of the dedication and gallantry of our Armed forces and other Security Agencies. It is also a testimony to the resilience of our people across the State and the level of cooperation and support they have been giving and will continue to give to the security agencies involved in the fight against insurgency and other forms of crime.
- We as a people therefore need to continue to build on the progress we have made. We must continue to do everything within our powers to provide our security agencies with the support, assistance and cooperation they need to tackle all our security challenges.
- To complement our efforts, therefore, a Special Security Trust Fund, which is an initiative of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, will be instituted in the State. The enabling draft executive bill will be transmitted to this Honourable House soon.2020 budget presentation speech to Yobe State House of Assembly by Governor Mai Mala Buni
- In this respect, the Acting Secretary to the State Government is directed to finalize work on the draft bill in conjunction with appropriate stakeholders for submission in time to the Honourable Members for consideration.
- I wish to conclude my address by expressing my deepest appreciation to the Speaker and Honourable Members of the House of Assembly for what we have done together for our people in 2019, and what we will continue to do together in the years ahead.
- I am confident that the Honourable Members will consider our 2020 Budget proposals meticulously and pass them expeditiously, to enable us deliver our campaign promises to the electorate.
- Finally, in conformity with the provisions of section 121, sub-section (1) 2 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I now have the honour to present to the Speaker, the 2020 Finance and Appropriation Bills for deliberation and passage by the Honourable House.
Thank you for the attention.
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