Gombe State House of Assembly has passed into law the State 2021 Appropriation Bill of One Hundred and Twenty Billion, Three Hundred and Forty Six Million, Five Hundred and Thirty Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Six Naira (N120,346,536,626.00).

The passed appropriation bill reflected an increase of Six Hundred and Eighty Two Million, Six Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira (N682,680,000.00) over the initial sum of One Hundred and Nineteen Billion, Six Hundred and Sixty Three Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Six Naira (N119,663,856,626.00) proposed by the State Governor Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.

Presenting recommendations to that effect contained in a report of the House Committee on Appropriation on the floor of the House, the Chairman of the Committee Aliyu Baba Manu said this year’s budget estimate is derived from 2021 to 2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) with Macroeconomic assumptions of daily production of 1.86 Million Barrels at $40 per barrel, exchange rate of N379 to a US Dollar and Mineral Ratio of 35% as well as 15.86% Implied growth in VAT among others.

He said the Budget is made up of a Capital Expenditure of Sixty one Billion, Six Hundred and Forty Five Thousand, Four Hundred and Fifty Five Naira (N61,645,455,000.00) representing 51.25% and a Recurrent Expenditure of Fifty Eight Billion, Seven Hundred and One Million, Eighty One Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Six Naira (N58,701,081,626.00) representing 48.8%.

He added that, the Budget which has an opening balance of Thirteen Billion Naira (N13,000,000,000.00) will be funded with Recurrent and Capital Receipts of One Hundred and Thirteen Billion, Five Hundred and Eighty Six Million, Five Hundred and Thirteen Thousand Naira (N113,586,513,000.000) with a deficit of Six Billion, Seven Hundred and Sixty Million, Twenty Three Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Six Naira (N6,760,023,626.00) that will be financed with Internal and External Borrowings of Seven Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (N7,500,000,000.00) leaving Seven Hundred and Thirty Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy Six Thousand, Three Hundred and Seventy Four Naira (N739,976,374.00) as Closing Balance.

Giving the sectorial allocation of the Capital Expenditure, Aliyu Baba Manu said the Economic Sector has the highest allocation of Thirty Six Billion, Sixty Nine Million Five Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Naira only (N36,069,515,000.00) representing 58.5% followed by Social Sector with Twenty Billion, Four Hundred and Seventy Eight Million, Five Hundred Thousand, Naira (N20,478,500,000.00) representing 33.2% while Administrative, and Law and Justice Sectors have Three Billion, Seven Hundred and Sixty One Million, Twenty Thousand Naira (N3,761,020,000.00)representing 6.1% and One Billion, Three Hundred and Thirty Six Million, Four Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira (N1,336,420,000.00) representing 2.2% respectively.

After thorough debate, the House approved the Budget size and the sectorial allocation.
The House also approved the recommendations of the Committee that the Gombe State Fire Service be provided with sufficient fire fighting vehicles and office accommodation to enable them discharge their duties effectively and that henceforth citizen engagement be done before bilateral discussions with MDAs.

Speaking shortly after the passage of the Budget, the Speaker Rt Hon. Abubakar Mohammed commended the Appropriation Committee for presenting an articulate report that guided the House in taking informed decision despite the short time given to it.

He commended the State Governor Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for proposing a people oriented budget with a capital to recurrent expenditure ratio of 51.2 to 48.8 percent as well as taking cognizance of macroeconomic indices in preparing the budget.

While calling on the Executive to ensure effective implementation of the budget as approved by the House, the Speaker urge standing Committees of the House to be diligent in oversighting on MDAs under their purview to achieve appreciable performance in the implementation of the 2021 Budget.