From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has presented the 2023 Appropriation Bill to the House of Assembly for consideration and approval.
Titled ‘Budget of Consolidation and Transition’, the budget has a projected expenditure of N179.7 billion.
Present the budget on Tuesday, Ortom said, “Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, we are proposing the sum of N179,750,090,123.40 only for your consideration and approval as Estimated Aggregate Revenue from all sources in Fiscal Year 2023.
“This amount is made up of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) Statutory Revenue of N71,385,773,440.00 or 39.7% of Aggregate Revenue Estimates and the sum of N30,000,572,805.56 or 16.7% of the Aggregate Revenue from independent sources.
“There is a provision of N78,363,743,877.84 or 43.6% of the aggregate Revenue from other sources including Aid, Grants and Loans,” Ortom said.
The Governor explained that the recurrent expenditure is pegged at N106.191 billion while Capital expenditure N73.558 billion.
According to him, while N48.5 billion is for personnel cost, the sum of N57.6 billion is earmarked for sub head.
Ortom said the recurrent expenditure estimates focuses on the obligation of his administration to faithfully pay the salaries of workers and meet obligations under our new Pension Laws and to retired workers.
Ortom reiterated the determination of his government to finish strong in service of the people especially in its trying times.
The speaker Benue State House of Assembly, Mr Titus Uba, commended the governor for presenting the 2023 budget to the Assembly and promised to accord it proposal the urgency it deserves.
Uba who explained that the Assembly is considering the presentation as the first reading, directed it to the Rules and Business Committee for a second reading.