KADUNA ASEMBLY PASSES 2013 BUDGET OF OVER N179B

The Kaduna State House of Assembly yesterday passed into law the appropriation bill of the 2013 Budget submitted to the House by the late Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa.

Governor Yakowa, shortly before he died, had presented to the State House of Assembly for consideration N176, 480,343,008 as proposed 2013 Budget, but the budget has been adjusted by the House with over three billion naira.

The budget tagged 'Budget of Consolidation and Advancement', the consideration of the 2013 recurrent and capital estimates was within the context of the Multi-Year Budgeting Framework that was introduced in 2009 as part of the Public Finance Management Reform in the state.

The majority leader of the State Assembly, Hon. David Umar Gurara from Kachia constituency, moved for the passage of the Budget having passed through the third reading.

Earlier, the Speaker, Hon. Muazu Usman Gangara explained that following the harmonization exercise conducted by the House Committee on appropriation and Implementation, the budget had been increased to over one hundred and seventy nine billion as against the earlier proposed over one hundred and seventy six billion by the executive governor.

Commenting on the passed budget, the house committee chairman on information, Hon. Yakubu Yusuf Soja said the budget would give priority in the area of security, education, agriculture and health.