Lalong presents N154 bn budget for 2016

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Yakubu Busari

Governor Simon Bako Lalong has presented a “BUDGET OF RESCUE AND HOPE” s he said that things can improve for many citizens.

He said ,”the sum of one Hundred and Fifty Four Billion, Seventy Two Million, Five Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty Two Naira (N154,072,570,442.00) is earmarked , showing a drop of 28.5% from the 2015 budget.

The governor explained that the drop in the budget is to reflect realities on ground and the adoption of zero based budget in line with the Federal Government’s directive.

He added that the goal of our administration is to reduce human sufferings by uplifting the quality of life of the people. We plan to create opportunities for every plateau citizen who desires to lead a meaningful and productive life.

“we are determined to build a new socio-economic and political compact that will create jobs; alleviate poverty and reduce the potential of violent conflict and other forms of instability. Consequently, while our words will continue to be our bond by ensuring continuity of governance and addressing critical development projects inherited, the 2016 budget and some new projects amongst the many in our Agenda will be initiated under the 5 Pillar Policy of our Rescue”

Given the drastic fall in revenue from the Federation Account, we are challenged to be less dependent but look in wards in order to boost our revenue profile from other sources. In this way, we can give hope and succor to the people.

He promised  to attain the  set objectives in stimulating and driving the economy in the period under review, government has identified the following strategic areas from the key thematic intervention platforms that would hopefully have multiplier effects on other key sectors:

Agricultur, Mineral Resource Development; and Tourism the 2016 budget is unique in the sense that it is ZERO-Based, whereby Total Projected Revenue equals Total Projected Expenditure. This phenomenon is part of a closed loop spending management, which strategically reverses and possibly eliminate the trend of large deficit on the revenue, encourage critical review of every anticipated scheme that would lead to planned investment on development projects during the financial year.

He stressed that the government is ready to  review virtually every scheme to meet the challenges of our time and give hope to the people, the size of the 2016 budget is

The total budget is made up of Seventy Five Billion, Nineteen Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventy Eight Naira (N75,019,373,878.00) only, representing 48.7% of the total budget as Recurrent Expenditure. The Capital Estimate is Seventy Nine Billion, Fifty Three Million, One Hundred and Ninety Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Four Naira (N79,053,196,564.00) only representing 51.3% of the total budget.

The 2016 budget Is projected to be financed from the funding sources for both the recurrent and capital: Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has an estimate of Thirteen Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety Seven Naira (N13,530,996,697.00) only. 2.Statutory Revenue Allocation (SRA) from the Federation Account has an estimate of Thirty Five Billion, Seven Hundred Million Naira (35,700,000,000.00) only. 3.Mineral Resources Revenue Is projected at Three Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (N3,500,000,000.00) only 4.Reimbursement from the Federal Government on intervention on Federal Roads is estimated at Seventeen Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (N17,500,000,000.00) only.

Expected Capital Receipts is made up of the following: Value Added Tax(VAT) is estimated at Nine Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (9,500,000,000.00) only; and Draw Downs from Donor assisted programmes is estimated at Four Billion, Four Hundred and Fourteen Million, One Hundred and Ninety Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty Eight Naira (N4,414,195,838.00) only.

The 2016 budget has a recurrent expenditure estimate of Seventy Five Billion, Nineteen Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Eight Naira (N75, 019,373,878.00) only representing 48.7 percent of the entire budget estimate with the breakdown as follows:

Twenty Four Billion, One Hundred and Sixty Six Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, One Hundred and Thirty Five Naira, (N24,166,836,135.00) only.2.                   Overhead Cost: made up of Twenty Nine Billion, Six Hundred and Two Million, Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty Three Naira (N29, 602,537,743.00) only.3.  Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges: made up of Twenty One Billion, Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N21,250,000,000.00) only.

The 2016 Capital budget estimate in a nutshell is geared towards the actualization of the phased policy thrusts of this administration and completion of some critical projects inherited. Accordingly, the sum of

Seventy Nine Billion, Fifty Three Million, One Hundred and Ninety Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Four Naira (N79,053,196,564.00) only representing 51.3% of the total budget is earmarked for Capital Projects.

General Sectoral allocations have the sum of Seventy Nine Billion, Fifty Three Million, One Hundred and Ninety six thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Four Naira, (N79,053,196,564.00). The breakdown is classified as follows:

The Sectoral allocation is Fourteen Billion, Four Hundred and Sixteen Million, Seven Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Three Hundred and Seventy Nine Naira (N14,416,712,379.00 [18.2%]) only;2.       ECONOMIC: The Sectoral allocation is Forty Billion, Eight Hundred and Twenty Seven Million, Four Hundred and Thirty Three Thousand, Eight Hundred and Four Naira (N40,827,433,804.00 [51.7%]) only; and3.       LAW AND JUSTICE: The Sectoral allocation is Six Hundred and Sixty Seven thousand, Two Hundred and eighty thousand Naira (N667,288,000.00 [0.84%]) only;4.       SOCIAL SERVICES: The Sectoral allocation is Twenty Three Billion, One Hundred and Forty One Million, Sevwn Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand, Three Hundred and Eighty One Naira (N23,141,762,381.00 [29.3%]) only.

Lalong said ,since  assumption of office, concerted efforts have been made to promote lasting peace and mutual co-existence.

This led to setting up of a special Peace and Reconciliation Committee to look into the Berom and Fulani clashes and the report has been submitted. Strategic measures have been taken over short, medium and long term interventions, which have led to the peace being enjoyed now. We also hope that when the Bureau for Peace and Conflict Resolution come on Board, greater confidence will be instilled in reducing or removing potentials of violent conflict and social injustice .

He  further consolidated  on the existing peace, Government shall provide the necessary equipment to the Security operatives in the State, while the activities of Operation Rainbow will be further overhauled and strengthened through the necessary logistic support.

The revamping of Agriculture in Plateau State will be the priority of this administration, coupled with its potential as an alternative wealth creation. We shall thus pursue an aggressive agriculture and rural development policy to address the challenges of food security, poverty alleviation, job creation and rural-urban migration.

Lalong assured of  resuscitating the Plateau Agricultural Development Programme (PADP), activities of the Agricultural Services Training Centre (ASTC) and Marketing Ltd in the three Senatorial Zones and four Commercial Agricultural Projects will be revisited to ensure they meet the desired goals for their establishment. Government will also pay greater attention to creating an enabling environment for the development of value-chain of the Crops, Livestock and Fishery industries as well as promoting agro-allied industries. To this end, the sum of Three Billion, Three Hundred and Twenty Two Million, Four Hundred and Eighty Three Thousand Naira (N3,322,483,000.00) only is allocated

Environmental issues have today taken the center stage in both the development of a nation and well being of its people. All our proposed development strides in Agriculture, Mineral Development, Industrialization, etc, cannot be in isolation and ignoring issues of environmental degradation.

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