By Emmanuel Adeyemi Lokoja
Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello on Tuesday, presented the sum of N130,546,068,026 as the 2021 budget to the Kogi State House of Assembly.
The total Budget package for the year 2021 represents an increase of N7,575,110,017 or 6.16% when compared with the 2020 final Budget.
During the presentation of the Budget to the state House of Assembly, the Governor stated that the fiscal strategy of Government was anchored on the on-going Public Financial Management Reform (PFM). Over the period 2021-2023, that the State Government fiscal policy is directed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of spending;
and achieving better balance between capital and recurrent expenditure
The budget is also aimed at achieving greater control of the wage bill;
directing capital expenditure on critical infrastructure such as Agriculture, Health, Road, Education, Security, Water, Youth engagement and
boosting revenue receipts by identifying and blocking revenue leakages; among others
The Governor disclosed that the draft Revenue Budget has an estimated outlay of N130,546,068,026. This total Budget outlay of N130,546,068,026 is divided into Recurrent Revenue of N82,464,412,854 representing 63.17% and Capital Receipts of N48,081,655,172 representing 36.83%.
On the objectives and target of the 2021 budget, governor Bello said the specific fiscal objectives of the State is effective allocation of scarce resources to identified critical programmes and projects, with the major targets of improving the quality and affordability of education available to citizens at all levels in order to produce the articulate and skilled manpower required for economic transformation of the State;
It is also aimed at improving quality and access to healthcare leading to improvement in efficiency of the healthcare delivery system and to ensure food security and generate a high proportion of the GDP from agriculture
It is also to exploit the full commercial potentials of our location and endowments as a State and expand trade to ensure that products from agricultural and industrial activities have access to markets locally and internationally;
It is to ensure gainful employments for our youths, create entrepreneurship opportunities, especially in Agriculture and Infotech, and develop their talents for livelihood and to achieve sustainable development and promote social cum economic development through culture and tourism, among others.