Gombe Gov Assents N176b as 2023 Budget of Further Consolidation
By Chima Azubuike
Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Yahaya, on Friday assented N176b as 2023 budget at the Government House Executive Chamber.
Our Correspondent reports that the 2023 budget has about 3bn increment from the initially proposed budget of N173.6b which was submitted by Yahaya on 3rd November, 2022.
64 per cent of the total budget size is allocated to the Economic sector to improve on Agriculture, Infrastructure, Provision of Water to Rural and Urban Areas, affordable Housing and Transport and others.
28.8 percent was earmarked mainly for Educational Institutions and Health facilities, 6.2 per cent was allocated for the effective running of Government machinery, while 2.5 percent of the total budget was allocated to the justice sector.
Speaking shortly after assenting to the budget christened ‘further consolidation’, Yahaya, commended the house for a thorough but expedited scrutiny and its eventual passing to law in record time.
He ascribed the successes of his administration to collaboration, promising to continue with people-oriented programmes ahead of 2023.
Yahaya said, “From the bottom of my heart, I wish to thank the State Assembly, the budget signed today is a product of collaboration. We involved the citizens to come out with a draft that is workable, doable and possible.
“It will not happen until there is synergy and understanding, we should continue to do so because it’s transparency, accountability, delivery and service to the people. Until and until we work together we can’t achieve our objective. Gombe is working and will come to the apex under my leadership.”
The Governor assured that he would not take for granted the support of the Assembly and the people, promising to ensure the optimal implementation of the budget.
“This government is government of the people, we shall work assiduously to see the total implementation of this law because it is our own law and our own making. I like to assure the house and the entirety of the people that the executive is always ready to collaborate, support, ready for the implementation of what we have signed as law today,” Yahaya added.
Speaking earlier, Ali Manu, Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, who represented Speaker Abubakar Luggerewo, who was involved in an accident recently said the APC government, has performed greatly, adding that performance of the current administration has trickled overwhelmingly.
The Speaker said, “APC has achieved alot in terms of development in Gombe State. Under your watch budget goes through various processes first by policy statement of government, presenting expenditure framework by calling town halls to get inputs from people.”
While urging the governor to reciprocate the gesture of the Assembly by expediting requests, “You are the father of the Assembly, father of everyone here in Gombe State. We have no where to go,” he added.
