SUSWAM PRESENTS N105.5BN 2012 BUDGET

By NBF News

Benue State Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam has proposed the sum of N105.5 billion as projected budget for the 2012 fiscal year as against N63.6 billion in 2011 to the state House of Assembly.

Christened, 'Budget of Actualization of Growth and Development,' Suswam said the budget is aimed at ensuring that all projects started by his administration would all be completed.

He said the budget seeks to consolidate and address the rise in the pay rolls of the government as a result of the new minimum wage.

The Governor listed the objectives of the 2012 budget to include among other things, payment of salaries and wages as at when due, as well as continued improvement of his administration's developmental structures.

He said the key assumptions of the breakdown of the budget is that N59.9 billion would be generated from federation account, N15.2 billion from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), while N30.3 billion is expected to be generated from other sources.

The Governor who however warned that the current practice of collecting and spending revenue would no longer be tolerated informed that his administration would take monitoring and evaluation of the budget very serious.

He promised to carry out more developmental projects, revamp moribund industries as well as revitalize ailing ones before the end of his administration.

Responding, Speaker of the House, Dave Iorhemba promised that the house would continue to partner with Suswam's administration in the development of the state. Iorhemba, while assuring speedy passage of the budget promised that the House would ensure the implementation of the 2012 budget to the letter.