Plateau State Budget Breakdown: Transport , Tourism To Receives Boost – Sylvester Wallangko

YakubuBusari

The plateau State ministry of works and Transport has been allocated the sum of N16,917,700,000.00 representing 24.85 percent of the capital estimate which also made it the highest more than any other sector of the economy in the State

The Commissioner for budgeting identified Tourism Sector in the 2019 budget “home of peace and tourism” might not have been reflected but only 337,900.000.00 million, which represents 0.50 percent has been allocated to the tourism sector from a total size budget of 153 billion naira.

The judiciary also has the sum of 1.3 billion, representing 1.52 percent with the attention given to the health sector, as the sum of 4 billion naira, which represents 6.85 percent, was budgeted for health care delivery.

The Commissioner for finance Mr. Sylvester Wallangko disclosed that the total sum for capital expenditure for 2019 budget amounted to 68 billion, representing 44.33 percent, out of the total size budget of 153 billion naira only was earmarked for projects.

The educational sector received a boost, as the sum of 12 billion naira is allocated to it, representing 17.94 percent earmarked for educational activities this financial year.

Another sector which the 2019 budget favoured was Administration and governance which got the sum of 12 billion naira.

Breaking it down the agricultural sector seemed not to have given the desire recognition, only the sum of 2 billion naira, presenting 3.9 percent was allocated to agriculture which is one of the revenues generating and self-employment avenue.

The revenue generating sector which could not be given desire attention was “Environment and mineral development” has only 1.3 percent allocated to it, from the 153 billion naira budget for the ongoing year
Housing and urban development got the sum of 5 billion, representing 7.6 percent.

It will be recalled that governor Simon Lalong had recently told members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that a housing scheme for state civil servant is captured in 2019 budget.

Women and youth development have been allocated the sum of 1.9 billion, representing 2.88 percent; while information and communication have 1.4 billion, representing 2.12 percent only.

The commissioner solicited for the support of all citizens to enable the government to effectively implement the 2019 budget.

Mr. Wallangko stressed that “for us (government) to be able to implement these strategic and critical developmental projects and programmes contained in the budget, a lot of finance is require.”

Added that “as such, implore on our citizens to cooperate with revenue authorities in the payment of their taxes and other levies, in the midst of these economic challenges.”

The 2019 budget has a total size of 153 billion naira, making an additional increase of seven billion naira from the 2018 budget, which was 146 billion naira.

This was revealed by the commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning Sylvester Wallangko during the 2019 budget breakdown at the conference hall of cabinet office Jos Wednesday.

According to the commissioner, the emphasis will be on the completion of the on-going project.

Other allocations to other sub-sectors of the economy are education with the sum of N12,214,336,930.00 representing 17.94 percent. Administration with an allocation of N12,044,670,764.00 representing 17.94 percent., Lands, Housing and Urban Development allocated the sum of N51,226,525,500.00 representing 7.68 percent, Health, N4,663,942,000.00 representing 6.85 percent water resources N5,134,118,000.00 representing 7.50 percent, Agriculture and Rural Development N2,674,850,000.00 representing 3.93 percent and commence and industry with the allocation of the sum of N2,408,725,000.00 representing 3.54 percent. Others are;
Women, Youths and Sports Development with the sum of N1,963,000 information and communication N1,444,394,000.00 representing 2.12 percent, Judiciary N1,032,100,000.00 representing 1.52 percent Environmental and Mineral Development N905,464,600.00 representing 1.33 percent, Finance, N901,674,500.00 representing 1.32 percent; Legislature N2,201,700.00 representing 1.28 percent and tourism and Hospitality N337,900,000.00 representing 0.50 percent of the capital estimate.

The commissioner said this year’s budget tagged “Budget of Rescue and Infrastructural growth” was aimed at consolidating on the infrastructural development of the state adding that the budget estimate was projected based on the Macro-Economic Variables from the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Medium Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) of the State.

Wallangko said that as usual, the implementation of the budget would still be anchored on the 5-Pillar policy thrust of the administration with an emphasis on the completion of the on-going projects and programmes.