The Jigawa State House of Assembly on Tuesday approved N20.44 billion supplementary budget to fast track the completion of viable projects in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Badaru Abubakar, on July 12, submitted a proposed supplementary budget of N18.99 billion to the House for approval.
The proposed bill was to facilitate the completion of the ongoing roads, electrification and health sector projects across the state.
Other areas to be covered by the appropriated funds include commerce and industry, water supply, agriculture, women affairs, among others.
However, while deliberating on the bill in the Committee of the Whole, a legislator, Muhammad Abubakar (APC- Maigatari), drew the attention of the his colleagues on the exigency to include constituency projects in the supplementary bill.
The committee, therefore, agreed to include N2.4 billion for constituency projects thereby bringing the total budget size approved by the lawmakers to N20,044,291,846.57.
In his contribution on the bill, Sani Saleh (APC-Kaugama), urged members to accelerate the process by allowing it to be read for second and third times to facilitate speedy passage.
Saleh said that passage of the bill would enable the state government to utilise the funds to execute viable projects for sustainable social and economic development of the state.
Also, Haruna Aliyu-Dangyatun (APC – Miga), said the projects captured in the supplementary budget were developmental and represent the wishes and aspirations of the people of the state.
He, therefore, urged the House to approve the bill in order to hasten work on the identified projects.
The House, presided by the Speaker, Alhaji Garba Idris, unanimously approved the bill and adjourned till August 3, 2021 to allow members proceed for Sallah break.
According to the letter sent to the House by the governor, N9.92 billion is for road infrastructure and electrification projects while N4.7 billion has been set aside for completion and equipping of specialist and general hospitals across the state.
Other highlights of the budget include N1 billion for contingency vote replenishment; N1.368 billion for education sector, N1 billion for commerce and industry, N375 million for water supply and N629 million allocated for agriculture, women affairs and Government House administration. (NAN)
