Members of the Taraba State House of Assembly have approved an increase of N2 billion to the 2024 appropriation bill.
The state governor, Agbu Kefas, had presented an initial appropriation bill of N311,388,525,662.96k last week.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the proposed amount, the assembly members,as observed by DAILY POST decided to augment the budget by an additional N2 billion.
The announcement of this increase was made on Friday during a session on the floor of the state House of Assembly by the Chairman of the Finance and Appropriation Committee, Abdul-Azeez Titong.
Titong emphasized that the adjustment was necessary to accommodate crucial projects aligned with the government’s five-finger development agenda.
He stated, “The initial budget size was adjusted to incorporate projects essential for the development agenda, amending it from N311,388,525,661.56k to N313,388,525,661.56k.”
The committee, acknowledging that the 2024 budget estimate surpassed the approved 2023 budget, highlighted the international best practice of quarterly releases for approved funds to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Additionally, they urged the government to eliminate revenue leakages, such as multiple receipts and bank accounts used by revenue agencies, to ensure that all collected revenues are deposited into the appropriate government accounts for accountability.
Following the committee’s observations and recommendations, the adjusted budget was swiftly passed into law.
This move, according to the speaker, Bonzina John Kizito, signifies a proactive approach by the Taraba State Assembly to address developmental needs and align the budget with strategic priorities.
