Kaduna Assembly passes N81.94bn budget for 23 LGAs

The Kaduna State House of Assembly on Tuesday approved N81.94 billion as the 2020 budget for the 23 local government areas in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the budget has an increase of over one billion naira when compared to that of 2019.

It was passed after the House received report on the bill from its Committee on Appropriation and Implementation.

Rule 3:1 Order 2 of the Standing Order of the House was set aside to allow the third reading as well as the passage of the Appropriation Bill into law.

The sitting was presided over by the Speaker of the Assembly, Aminu Shagali, while the bill was read for the third time.

Mr Shagali said the N81.94 billion budget consists of N55.44 billion and N26.50 billion for recurrent and capital expenditures respectively.

The speaker noted that to reduce over dependence on statutory allocations from the federation account, the 23 local governments would be made to redouble efforts in internal revenue generation.

He directed the ministry of local government affairs to monitor their performance closely and report to the house on quarterly basis.

He also directed the ministry to forward separate budget lines with adequate provisions for each of the local councils legislative arms before the end of January 2020.

Meanwhile, the Bill on the Kaduna State Joint Local Government Account Allocation Committee Law, 2019 was also passed into law by the assembly.

The bill aimed at establishing and providing a joint account committee for the state and local government for prudent management of resources and control of allocations.

Also, the Bill for a Law to Amend various provisions in relation to taxes, fees and charges and for matters incidental thereto was also passed into law.

(NAN)