Bagudu signs N189.2 bn 2022 budget into law, to release N4bn civil servants gratuities

Ismail Bayo in Birnin Kebbi

Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State has signed the N189.2bn 2022 state's budget into law.

The governor presented the proposed budget to the State House of Assembly for consideration and passage on November 8, 2021.

While signing the budget into law at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, he expressed delight that the budget was passed almost at the same time the Federal Budget was passed by the National Assembly.

He said "These are milestones that we want Nigerians to appreciate.

President Muhammadu Buhari had hitherto variously decried that one of his challenging periods was when the former National Assembly took over six months without passing the budget.

"However, there are now some tremendous improvements at both the national and state assemblies and that is now history."

Bagudu stated that the state house of assembly has always been equal to the task in the discharge of the constitutional duties just as they had passed both the Legislative and Judicial Autonomy Laws. Other laws passed by the state assembly according to the governor were the VAPP, Child Rights, and Fiscal Responsibility Acts.

He noted that these laws and myriad other laws aimed at further making lives easier for the generality of the people of the state had been passed by the state lawmakers.

The governor commended the various stakeholders in the state, CSOs, NGOs, Media, Open Government Partners, and Public Service, especially the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning who led the preparations for the budget. He said "The budget was passed with little modifications and this is a very significant measure. 

He also hinted that the state's Industrial Development Plan will soon be ready for launching.

He observed that the achievements recorded by his administration were made possible by the mutual working relationship between the three tiers of government for the interest of the people of the Kebbi State.

"Kebbi State has been adjudged to be among the five states in the country with the lowest spending on recurrent expenditure", he said.

Meanwhile, the governor has promised to release over N4bn for the payment of gratuities to retired civil servants in the state.

" The money will be released in the next few days, but, this will only be done when the required data of the beneficiaries are adequately streamlined," he said.