Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has presented N130 billion naira as 2021 budget of “Accelerated Recovery” to the Kogi House of Assembly.
The total sum of N130,546,068,026 as against N122,970,958,009 of the Amended Budget for the year 2020.
The total budget package for the year 2021 represents an increase of N7,575,110,017 or 6.16 per cent when compared with the 2020 final budget.
During the presentation of the Budget to the state House of Assembly, on Tuesday, 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; achieving a better balance between capital and recurrent expenditure and also achieving greater control of the wage bill.
In summary, 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 Yahaya Bello said the specific fiscal objectives of Kogi State is effective allocation of scarce resources to identified critical programmes and projects, with the following major targets to improve the quality and affordability of education available to citizens at all levels in order to produce the articulate and skilled manpower required for the economic transformation of the state.
He also stressed that the budget will improve quality and access to healthcare leading to improvement in the efficiency of the healthcare delivery system, to ensure food security and generate a high proportion of the GDP from agriculture and to also 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.
He also mentioned that the 2021 budget will ensure gainful employment for the youths, create entrepreneurship opportunities, especially in Agriculture and Infotech, and develop their talents for livelihood, and to also achieve sustainable development and promote social cum economic development through culture and tourism and also to establish necessary frameworks for a robust mining and solid minerals sector, with an aim to branding Kogi State as the foremost mining and minerals exploitation destination in the country.
On the issue of road, governor Bello said it will improve the road network in the State through continued construction of new roads and bridges and rehabilitation of existing ones in both urban and rural areas.
He also stated that it will improve the quantity, quality and access to safe water for domestic, commercial and industrial uses as well as improve sanitation and hygiene practices among the citizens, ensure sustainable use of the environment and continuous management of environmental challenges such as pollution, degradation and gully erosion.