Gov Zulum Signs N108. 8 Billion Revised 2020 Appropriation Bill Into Law
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State today, Monday, signed the N108.8 Billion 2020 Revised Appropriation Bill into law which was unanimously revised and passed by the State Hous of Assembly members for Executive assent for the state Capital and Recurrent Expenditures this fiscal year.
The Speaker of the BOSHA, Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan who led other prinnipal officers of the house to the Government House to present the revised budget to the governor at the Council Chamber for assent said, the revision of the 2020 Appropriation Bill which was earlier presented to the house by the Govenror in December 2019 was neceasitated by the sudden drop in prices of crude oil globally due to COVID-19 pandemic.
He added that the fall in the federal allocations to the state Governments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
coupled with the socio economic challenges of reality on ground, neccessiated the house to revise the budget .
The Speaker also said that "the house assented to the bill from the Executive on 14th July 2020 and immediately swung into action and referred the Bill to the House Committee on Appropriation for further Legislative action
"On 22nd July 2020, the budget was presented by the Committee of the House on Appropriation with 26% reduction and the house unanimously passed the budget to the executive for assent ", Lawan said.
In his remarks after assenting to the Appropriation Bill into law, Governor Zulum commended the efforts of the members of the State House of Assembly for the consideration and speedy passage of the Appropriation Bill while pledging to fully implement it in the ways and manners th bill was passed by the law makers.
The Governor further directed the State Ministry of Finance and Economic Palnning to ensure strict compliance of the budgetary provisions and review all terms of Expenditure frameworks as Borno people expect more from the present administration especially in the areas of education and healthcare service delivery.
In his introductory remark, the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan said Midway in the first quarter of 2020 , the world was ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic which affected the global, national and state economy.
He added that this prompted the decision of the Executive to send a revised budget to the Stat House of Assembly and in line with directive of th Governor, a revised budget of the 2020 Appropriation Bill was presented to the law makers for consideration.
Highlights of the occasion include the formal presentation of the clean copy of the budget by the Speaker to the Governor and signing of the Appropriation Bill into law as well as group photographs.