Gov Yahaya Of Gombe Presents N173.6 Billion Budget For 2023
Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State on Thursday presented a N173.6 Billion appropriation bill for the 2023 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly.
Presenting the proposed appropriation tagged: “Budget of Further Consolidation”. Mr. Yahaya said his administration intended to consolidate the gains made over the past four years in the service to the people.
An excerpt is the full text of the speech
ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU INUWA YAHAYA (DAN MAJEN GOMBE), GOVERNOR OF GOMBE STATE, AT THE OCCASION OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE 2023 BUDGET PROPOSAL TO THE GOMBE STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, HELD ON THURSDAY, 3rd NOVEMBER, 2022
Protocol
All praises be to Almighty Allah (SWT) for the privilege and opportunity to appear before this Honorable House to present the 2023 Budget Proposal for deliberation and passage into Law as contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
2. The 2023 Budget, being the last in my first-term of four years, is coming at a period of great uncertainties and challenges, both locally and globally. From the Covid-19 pandemic, the crash of oil prices, economic recession and geopolitical conflicts across the world, we have in the past three-and-half years, weathered various storms to safely sail the ship of our common destiny towards progress. As we prepare for all-important national elections next year, I have no doubt that I will appear before this Honorable House next year – inshaaAllah – to present the 2024 Budget.
3. I would like to most sincerely appreciate the role this Honourable House has played since the inception of this administration in 2019. As this marks the final budget presentation in my first-term, it is important to acknowledge the excellent working relationship that exists between the executive and the legislative arms of government. This is borne out of our respect for the principle of separation of powers and adherence to the rule of law. I urge this honorable house to continue on this noble trajectory.
REVIEW OF THE 2022 BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION
4. Rt. Hon. Speaker, Hon. Members, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it is important for us to highlight the implementation of the 2022 budget as follows:
• For the 2022 fiscal year, the administration proposed the sum of N154,963,964,000.00
• The 2022 budget is made up of N70,000,564,000.00 as recurrent expenditure and N84,963,400,000.00 as capital expenditure, representing 45.2% and 54.8% respectively.
• After extensive deliberations, the Honorable House passed the sum of N154,963,964,000.00 as the appropriation bill for the year 2022, made up of 46.43% recurrent expenditure and 53.6% capital expenditure.
• The revised 2022 budget was expected to be financed by an estimated recurrent revenue of N97,675,687,424.47 only, capital receipts of N72,070,000,000.00 only, and a closing balance of N14,781,723,424.47.
• Our recurrent revenue performance as of 30th September, 2022 stood at N72,146,477,365.70 representing 73.86% of our recurrent revenue projections.
• The recurrent expenditure performance was N44,554,494,494.58 for the same period representing 62% of the recurrent expenditure budget. The sum of N59,119,416,186.96 was generated as capital receipts, representing a performance of 82% of our projected capital receipts. For the capital budget, the sum of N48,211,252,447.58 was expended on capital projects and programmes representing 58% of capital expenditure estimates.
• Overall budget performance stood at N92,765,746,942.16 as at 30th September, 2022, representing 60% of the total budget size. The detailed sectoral performances are contained in the budget performance report submitted together with the 2023 budget proposal.
THE 2023 BUDGET PROPOSAL
5. Hon. Speaker, Hon. Members, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, to continue providing for the developmental needs of the people of Gombe State in the 2023 fiscal year, we proposed a budget in the sum of N173,697,242,000.00 only. This is made up of N71,856,492,000.00 only for recurrent expenditure representing 41.4%, and NGN101,840,750,000.00 only for capital expenditure, representing 58.6% of the total budgeted sum.
6. We envisage to generate the sum of NGN100,615,640,000.00 only as recurrent revenue, and the sum of N74,700,000,000.00 only as capital receipts. Our estimated closing balance for 2023 is expected to be N1,618,398,000.00 only
REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES
7. The proposed sectoral allocation for the 2023 budget is as follows:
(i) Recurrent Revenue Receipts: These are expected to be sourced as follows:
a) Internally Generated Revenue – N18,115,640,000.00
b) Statutory Allocation – N42,000,000,000.00
c) Government share of VAT – N20,500,000,000.00
d) Other FAAC receipts – N10,000,000,000.00
(ii) Recurrent Expenditure: comprises of the following:
a) Personnel Cost – N22,157,737,000.00
b) Overhead Cost – N26,466,555,000.00
c) Social benefits – N 4,733,500,000.00
d) Debt repayments – N18,215,000,000.00
e) Grants and subsidies – N283,700,000.00
(iii) Capital Receipts: This is expected to be accrued from:
a) Opening Balance – N10,000,000,000.00
b) Transfer from Consolidated Revenue
Fund – N28,759,148,000.00
c) Other Capital Receipts – N15,000,000,000.00
d) Domestic Grants – N11,250,000,000.00
e) External Grants – N 5,850,000,000.00
f) External Loans – N30,500,000,000.00
g) Domestic borrowings – N12,100,000,000.00
(iv) Capital Expenditure: To implement our expenditure plan for the 2023 fiscal year, sectoral allocations are broadly categorized under the following sectors:
a) Economic Sector – N66,298,300,000.00
b) Social Sector – N26,619,700,000.00
c) General Administration – N6,428,000,000.00
d) Law and Justice – N2,494,750,000.00
PROPOSED SECTORAL ALLOCATION – ECONOMIC SECTOR
(i) Agriculture and Livestock
8. The administration noted the significance of agriculture as the mainstay and key driver of our economy. We took up to modernizing the sector by facilitating the access to land, promoting the establishment of agro-allied industries and increasing access to roads in farming communities as well as provision of farm inputs and implements and promoting animal husbandry and livestock entrepreneurship especially among women and youths. To continue with these efforts, the sum of N3,015,000,000.00 only is allocated for agriculture and animal husbandry in the 2023 fiscal year.
(ii) Rural, Community Development and Cooperatives
9. In our promise to improving the lives of the people in the rural areas, we embarked on interventions through the provision of access roads, electricity, water supply, healthcare facilities, education and infrastructure. We shall continue with these efforts in the 2023 fiscal year. In this regard, the sum of N3,540,600,000.00 only is earmarked Rural Development in the 2023 fiscal year.
(iii) Trade, Industry and Tourism
10. As the commercial nerve center of the North East sub-region, blessed with abundant human and natural resources, this administration is committed to providing the enabling environment for economic activities to flourish. Our efforts were recognized in the official ranking of Gombe State as number 1 in Nigeria on ease of doing business. Only recently, we convened the first Gombe State Investment Summit, attracting investors from within and outside the country. The on-going construction of the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park is expected to harness Gombe’s industrial potential. It is in this regard that the sum of N10,390,000,000.00 only is allocated for trade, industry and tourism in the 2023 financial year.
(iv) Works and Infrastructure
11. Under our Network 11-100 initiatives, we have constructed over 500km of rural and urban roads, linking our rural communities and opening up social and economic opportunities. We have also fast-tracked electrification process of rural communities through various interventions. To continue with these efforts in 2023, the sum of N14,986,000,000.00 only is allocated for works and infrastructure in the 2023 fiscal year.
(v) Housing and Urban Development.
12. We have set out to reduce the housing deficit in the state through our collaboration with the NEDC and the Family Homes Fund. Both projects will be continued and completed in the incoming year. Equally we will be flagging off construction at the Gombe Capital Special Development in coming weeks. For this initiative, the sum of N11,110,000,000.00 only is proposed for investment for the Housing and Urban Development sub-sector in the 2023 fiscal year.
(vi) Land Administration
13. To address the challenges of land administration and development control, we strengthened the operations of the Gombe State Geographical Information System and launched its Phase2 in 2022. This is to ensure the maintenance of accurate database of all lands in the state and to ensure speedy acquisition of land title documents. These efforts have yielded positive results. We shall continue to build on this progress in the 2023 financial year. The sum of N2,015,000,000.00 only is therefore earmarked for this sub-sector in the 2023 fiscal year.
(vii) Water Resources
14. The administration acknowledges the role of water in human lives and industrial use and therefore continued with the deliberate efforts of the rehabilitation and provision of boreholes and water pumps to all communities in the State. We have ensured the expansion and functioning of the Gombe Regional Water Supply Project in collaboration with the Federal Government. Work is in progress for the realization of the Pindiga Water Augmentation Project, Dukku and the Gombe South Regional Water Projects. Accordingly, the sum of N7,230,100,000.00 only Is allocated for investment in the 2023 fiscal year.
(viii) Environment and Forestry
15. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, mindful of the devastating effects of global climate change and environmental degradation informed our resolve to prioritize ecological restoration and preservation. In view of the severity and intensity of the ecological challenge, we embarked on the Gombe Goes Green (3G) project, as well as the rehabilitation of the 7.5 km monstrous gully erosion traversing Mallam Inna through NEWMAP. For the sustainability of these actions, arrangements for the preparation of Gombe State Environmental Master Plan and pursuing the implementation of the Agro-Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACRSAL) project are being pursued vigorously. For the 2023 fiscal year, the sum of N3,984,000,000.00 only is allocated for this sub-sector.
(ix) Science, Technology and Innovation.
16. This administration took deliberate actions towards the integration of Science, Technology and Innovation in its development process. This informed the preparation of the State ICT policy, organizing Science Technology, Innovation, Agriculture and Minerals Expo, training of innovators and entrepreneurs, revitalizing the Gombe Technology Incubation Centers and the participation of the State in National and International Science, Technology and Innovation competitions and Expos to which the State performed excellently well. These and many other related efforts will be continued in the 2023 fiscal year. The sum of N360,600,000.00 only is allocated to this sub-sector in the 2023 fiscal year
SECTORAL ALLOCATION: SOCIAL SECTOR
(i) Education
17. Since the declaration of an emergency in the sector in 2019, we ensured increased budgetary allocation to the education sector, pursued comprehensive teacher training and re-training, implemented the compulsory free Universal Basic Education Policy, improved teachers’ welfare, provided critical learning facilities and equipment as well as massive investment in the construction and renovation of schools’ infrastructure. We are equally upgrading 5 legacy secondary schools to mega schools that can accommodate 1,500 students with facilities, mopping up of 400,000 out of school children and just recently recruited 1,000 Teachers. These efforts will be continued in 2023. It is in this regards that the sum of N5,939,700,000.00 only is allocated for investment in the education sector in 2023.
(ii) Higher Education
18. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, our administration will continue to ensure the growth and development of our tertiary institutions – Gombe State University, College of Education, Billiri, State Polytechnic, Bajoga; College of Education and Legal Studies Nafada, College of Nursing and Midwifery, as well as the College of Health Technology Kaltungo. We have also completed arrangements for the take-off of the University of Science and Technology, Kumo under a PPP arrangement with Lincoln University Malaysia. The sum of N5,427,000,000.00 only is allocated for investment in the 2023 fiscal year.
(iii) Health
19. In our commitment towards revitalizing the health sector, we ensured the provision of one fully functional Primary Healthcare Centre in each of the 114 wards of the State, the upgrading of the State Specialist Hospital, the renovation of the Bajoga and Kaltungo General Hospitals and construction of a new Kumo General Hospital as well as the construction of new College of Nursing and Midwifery. Deliberate attention to human resources for health is also on our agenda in addition to getting the accreditation of the Gombe Specialist Hospital as an Internship training Centre for Doctors and other healthcare specialists. The sum of N6,961,500,000.00 only is earmarked for the health sector in the 2023 fiscal year.
(iv) Youth and Sports Development
20. Since our assumption of Office in May, 2019, we affirmed our resolve to stem the tide of youth restiveness and unemployment, harness the vast potentials of our youths and re-direct their energies towards productive activities. To this end, we embarked on skills acquisition and vocational training especially the At-Risk Children Project (ARC-P), Traffic and Environmental Corps (GOSTEC), the Keke Riders Scheme and Joint Skills Development Initiatives with the Industrial training Fund (ITF) etc. To continue with these and other new initiatives, the sum of N2,255,000,000.00 only is allocated for this sub-sector in the 2023 fiscal year.
(v) Women Affairs and Social Development
21. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, we will continue with the effort of addressing the challenges of gender inequality, women empowerment and the vulnerable groups in the development process. We also undertook deliberate actions towards making them relevant in the society. Some of the actions we took for this category of people include free skills acquisition, participation in governance, raised awareness on the benefits of the Girl-child Education, special intervention fund for women, Social Protection Policy and the Child Right Act. These and other efforts will be continued in 2023. To this end, the sum of One Billion, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N1,922,500,000.00) only is provided in the 2023 budget for this sector.
(vi) Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs
22. The institutional structures we put in place have helped in strengthening the synergy between the State and Local Governments which led to increased implementation of projects/programmes at this level of Government especially the establishment of the Local Government Planning Bureau and the Joint Project Development Agency. Also, the strengthening of the role of the Traditional institutions in the governance process has contributed to strengthening social cohesion, peace building, preservation of our cultures and law and order. We shall continue with these and other people-oriented initiatives in the year 2023. The sum of N130,000,000.00 only is earmarked for the Local Government and Chieftaincy sector in the 2023 fiscal year.
(vii) Internal Security and Ethical Orientation.
23. Hon. House, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, the attention we gave to internal security and ethical orientation right from May, 2019 to date has been yielding positive results. In sustaining these efforts, we supported the law enforcement agencies to deliver their statutory mandates, strengthened informal intelligence gathering mechanisms, entrench the involvement of traditional institutions in security management as well as increasing security presence in flash point communities. Other actions taken include the setting up of a Peace and Reconciliation Committee, strengthening the operations of Marshals and the conduct of the first Gombe State security and Peace Summit. You will agree with me that the relative peace and security we are enjoying in Gombe State is by the divine grace of Almighty Allah and the wisdom he bestowed on us to implement proactive policies and initiatives. For the 2023 fiscal year, the sum of N555,000,000.00 only is allocated for the continued delivery of these actions.
(viii) Information and Culture.
24. The role of information in the development process cannot be overemphasized. We provide platforms for information dissemination, governance communication and citizens engagement. We are also committed to protecting and preserving our cultural heritage. In this vein, the sum of N842,000,000.00 only is allocated for information and culture in the 2023 fiscal year.
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
25. Since assumption of office in May 2019, we undertook far-reaching civil service and public financial management reforms. We shall continue to strengthen the civil service through capacity building, payment of salaries as well as addressing the needs of our retired civil servants for them to live a dignified retirement life. We reduced the backlog of gratuities while ensuring timely enrolment of retired workers into the pension scheme. To boost morale in the service, I recently approved the appointment of Permanent Secretaries in the service and merit-based promotion exercise will continue across all cadres. For this sub-sector, the sum of N6,428,000,000.00 only is earmarked for the 2023 fiscal year.
LAW AND JUSTICE
26. To facilitate the proper functioning of the Judicial arm of Government, our administration has placed so much value and emphasis on having a harmonious working relationship with both the Judiciary and the Legislature. To this end, the administration will continue to strengthen the operations of the Law and Justice sector. The sum of N2,494,750,000.00 only is provided in the 2023 for the sector.
INTERNAL REVENUE GENERATION DRIVE
27. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, upon assumption of office, we repositioned the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service for greater efficiency and enhanced service delivery. We have rolled out courageous and far-reaching reforms that enabled us become one of the fastest growing States in revenue generation. These efforts will be continued in the 2023 fiscal year.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
28. Without fiscal discipline and responsibility, no meaningful progress will be made in translating the State development agenda into action. We strengthen the Gombe State Fiscal Responsibility Commission in order to discharge its mandate effectively. This administration is committed to transparency, accountability and prudent management of the state resources. To deepen the fiscal responsibility operations, the autonomy law for the Legislature and Judiciary has since been signed and is being operated. It is in view of our commitment to fiscal responsibility that Gombe State was ranked 11th out of the 36 States and 3rd out of the 19 Northern States on the 2020 Fiscal Performance Index as well as 7th out of the 36 States in the 2021 Transparency and Integrity Index conducted by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CoFIW). We shall continue with these actions in the 2023 fiscal year.
PRESENTATION OF THE 2023 BUDGET
29. Rt. Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with sincere gratitude to Almighty Allah (SWT) that I present to the Honourable House the 2023 budget proposal of One Hundred and Seventy-Three Billion, Six Hundred and Ninety Seven Million, Two Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand Naira (N173,697,242,000.00) tagged “Budget of Further Consolidation”. This is in line with our desire to continue offering our service to the people of Gombe beyond 2023. I wish the Honourable House Allah’s guidance in your deliberations.
30. I want to use this opportunity to once again thank the Honorable House, the State Executive Council, the judiciary, general public and other relevant stakeholders for your support and patronage. As we gradually approach the electioneering period, I’m confident of your overwhelming support. I want to reassure our people of our undying commitment to continue with our struggle to deliver democratic dividends across all nooks and crannies of our dear state
31. Thank you and God bless you all.
God Bless Gombe State!
God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!