Taraba Assembly raises 2024 budget by N2 billion
Members of the Taraba State House of Assembly have sanctioned an increase of N2 billion to the 2024 appropriation bill.
The state governor, Agbu Kefas, initially presented a budget of N311,388,525,662.96k last week. However, the assembly members expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed amount and decided to augment the budget by an additional N2 billion.
The announcement of this increment was conveyed on Friday during a session on the floor of the state House of Assembly by Abdul-Azeez Titong, the Chairman of the Finance and Appropriation Committee.
Titong stressed that the adjustment was essential to accommodate vital projects aligned with the government’s five-finger development agenda.
He clarified, “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, recognizing that the 2024 budget estimate exceeded the approved 2023 budget, underscored the international best practice of quarterly releases for approved funds to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
They also 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 promptly passed into law.
According to the speaker, Bonzina John Kizito, this move signifies a proactive approach by the Taraba State Assembly to address developmental needs and align the budget with strategic priorities.