Jigawa State House of Assembly has made a significant adjustment to the 2024 budget by cutting N1 billion from its allocation, redirecting these funds towards agriculture, education, and emergency relief. The updated budget, approved on Thursday, September 5, saw around N17 billion reallocated to critical areas.
The budget revision was finalized during a plenary session led by Speaker Haruna Aliyu. The changes included a reduction in recurrent expenditure for government agencies, with operational and maintenance costs trimmed to approximately N2.5 billion, and capital development funding reduced to about N14.5 billion.
Speaker Aliyu highlighted that the budget review was designed to enhance living standards amidst the current economic difficulties, focusing on pressing state needs in agriculture, infrastructure, water, education, and health, in line with Governor Umar Namadi’s 12-point agenda.
The adjustment involved a N17 billion reallocation for urgent needs. Ibrahim Hamza, chairperson of the appropriation committee, reported that N1 billion was cut from the N2.1 billion allocated for Assembly projects and asset purchases, and another N1.1 billion was removed from the N2.1 billion set for the State Research Institute. Other affected departments included Religious Affairs and the State HIV/AIDS Control Agency.
According to the committee’s report, N8 billion of the reallocated funds was assigned to agricultural mechanization and the acquisition of farm equipment. Scholarship funding was increased to N3.1 billion, immunization received N1.7 billion, and the newly created Ministry of Renewable Energy was allocated N1.7 billion. Emergency response funding saw an increase of N1.4 billion, and N1.8 billion was allocated to the Ministry of Finance for contingency purposes.
The House unanimously endorsed the revised 2024 appropriation bill based on the committee’s recommendations.
