Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has presented a total package of N458.271 billion as the 2024 “Budget of Rural Transformation for Inclusive Development” to the House of Assembly.
Capital component was allocated N318.836 billion while recurrent expenditure received N139.434 billion representing a capital-to-recurrent ratio of 69.57 percent to 30.43 percent.
In the absence of the speaker who was sacked by the election petitions tribunal, the acting speaker, Henry Danjuma Magaji received the document. He promised that the House would scrutinise it and provide constructive insights that would enhance its impacts on the people of the state.
The governor said the Budget prioritises capital spending following the sustainable agenda of his administration, aimed at delivering inclusive development through the provision of critical infrastructure, especially in rural communities.
The budget is also designed to “deliver on social protection and human capital development to reinvigorate the productivity of our people, create jobs and boost the economy,” the governor said.
Uba Sani said, “To this end, we propose to spend N115.421 billion or 25.19 percent on education, N71.647 billion or 15.63 percent on health and the sum of N93.597 billion which is one-fifth of the budget or 20.42percent is allocated to the economic sector, including agriculture, public works and infrastructure, and housing.”
The recurrent expenditure estimates personnel cost N74.967 billion, overhead cost, N39.066 billion, public debt charges, N25.400 billion amounting to N139.434 billion as recurrent expenditure with net recurrent revenue at N85.906 billion.
Transfer to capital budget recurrent revenue stands at N225.341 billion and less recurrent expenditure N139.434 billion while recurrent budget surplus amounts to N85.906 billion.
The total capital budget amounts to N318.836 billion with agriculture having N22.549 billion, business, innovation and technology at N1.247 billion, housing and urban development at N7.944 billion, public works and infrastructure at N57.131 billion having a total of sub-sector: economy standing at N88.873 billion.
For the sub-sector: social education has the highest share of N82.554,445 billion, followed by health at N53.137 billion, and social development at N20.827 billion amounting to N156.519 billion for the social sub-sector.
The sub-sector region has N11.966 billion for the metropolitan authorities while N61.476 billion goes for general administration.
The governor said the budget holds great promise for the good people of Kaduna State and that through the effective implementation of the budget, the government will bridge the gap between the rural and urban areas, revitalize the rural economies, address poverty frontally, empower our people, address our infrastructure deficits, and renew the people’s belief in governance and democracy.
“This is a budget like no other. It is a Life Transforming Budget,” he said.
Sani said he’s confident that the lawmakers will give expeditious consideration to this budget. Our relationship with this House has been very cordial. We thank you for your services to the people of Kaduna State. We belong to the same government. Our people expect so much from us. We must not fail them,” he said.