Kwara Assembly passes N157bn budget for 2019

The Kwara State House of Assembly on Thursday passed 2019 Appropriation Bill of N157. 8 billion.

The budget was 0.19 per cent higher than N157. 5 billion presented to the House by Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed on December 6.

The capital expenditure of the budget is now N79.5 billion as against N79.7 billion proposed by the governor, representing 50.44 percent of the total budget.

The recurrent expenditure is put at N71.1 billion from N70.6 billion representing 49.56% of the total budget.

As required law, the sum of N1.2 billion was allocated as one per cent of the state Consolidated Revenue Fund to the State Health Insurance Scheme.

The measure will ensure accessibility of residents to qualitative healthcare delivery.

The Speaker, Ali Ahmad, directed the Clerk of the House, Halimat Kperogi, to prepare a clean copy of the budget for governor’s assent.

Mr Ahmad explained that with the passage of the budget, the house had demonstrated its commitment and high sense of patriotism.

He, however, expressed displeasure of non-funding of the audit unit by the state government.

(NAN)