THE Kwara State House of Assembly on Wednesday, January 24, passed the state’s 2024 appropriation bill of N292.7 billion.
The approved budget is lower than the initial N296.4 billion estimate presented to the Assembly by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in December 2023, having reduced it by N3.7 billion.
The passage followed the presentation of a report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation on the Proposed Year 2024 Budget by its Chairman, Arinola Fatimoh Lawal, representing Ilorin East Constituency.
The approved appropriation bill reflected an increase in total capital expenditure to N180.21 billion, surpassing the governor’s initial proposal of N178.905 billion, while the recurrent expenditure was reduced to N113.836 billion, from the budgeted N116.43 billion.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Yakubu Salihu-Danladi, who presided over the plenary, conveyed hope that the budget would significantly improve the lives of the state’s residents.
The Speaker further directed the Clerk, Olayiwola Ahmed, to produce a clean copy of the bill for the governor’s assent.
The ICIR reports that the state government had stated in December 2023 that capital expenditure took the lion’s share of N180 billion, representing 61 per cent of the total fiscal plan, while the recurrent component got N116 billion, or 39 per cent of the proposed budget.
“This fiscal plan will prioritise the completion and unveiling of several of our legacy projects and the introduction of a few other ones that centre around the welfare of the people. I am glad to inform this Honourable House that the Ilorin Capital City Master Plan will officially produce what we call the Ilorin Smart City Satellite Town, which will cover an area estimated at 18,000 hectares. This city is modelled after sustainable, green cities around the world, such as Washington DC. The groundbreaking of this huge project will be done next year, God willing,” he had said.
The governor also highlighted key projects while presenting the budget, noting that it would expand 13 hospitals and construct 250 housing units across the state.
“Some other highlights include the establishment of the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital; Kwara State University of Education; completion of the first phase of the industrial park at Eiyenkorin; MSMEs Support Funds; rehabilitation of Ilesha Baruba Waterworks and others elsewhere in the state; construction of statewide rural access roads through RAAMP; rehabilitation of Isanlu Isin Waterworks and extension of pipes; rehabilitation of Pampo Waterworks and extension of pipes, among others,” he had added.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M