Masari weeps, as he presents lasi budget to Katsina Assembly

The Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari on Tuesday could not hold back tears while presenting the 2023 appropriation bill to the State Assembly.  

The 2023 budget tagged "Budget of Transition" is said to be the last for the Masari led administration winding up in May 2023. 

According to the Katsina Governor, the budget is designed to complete ongoing projects and initiate other capital projects that can be completed within the remaining life-time of his administration's

restoration agenda which comprises of programmes, projects and policies implemented under Education, Health, Water Resources, Agriculture, Environment, Works, Housing and Transport Sectors of the State Government.

This budget is therefore designed to consolidate on the achievements we recorded as Government of Katsina State in the last seven and a half years.

 In the tenure of this administration from 2015 to date,  

Masari said: "the total budget for the 2023 fiscal year is in the sum of N288,633,257,963.00 with 63.77 per cent for Capital Expenditure and 36.23 per cent  recurrent expenditure.aà

 

"In aggregate terms, the 2023 Budget is lower than that of 2022 revised budget by N34,662,962,998.00. The 2023 Budget is structured with a total recurrent expenditure of N104,580,485,996.28 which is equivalent to 36.23% of the total budget and capital expenditure of N184,052,771,966.72 which is 63.77% of the total budget."

On recurrent revenue, Masari said, "the total amount projected to finance the 2023 Budget is the sum of N184,052,771,966.72 which comprises of N62,592,051,331.00 as Internally Generated Revenues from the State Board of Internal Revenue and other MDAs. The Revenue Receivable through the Federation Account is estimated at the sum of N119,021,024,430.89 with an Opening Balance of N12,062,370,089.11, noting that "the  2023 recurrent revenue has increased by 7.33% over that of 2022 Revised Budget."

However, Masari disclosed that "the  capital expenditure in the 2023 Budget has decreased by 20.92 per cent due to drop in Capital Receipts."

The Katsina Governor further gave the breakdown of the various components for recurrent expenditure for the the 2023 budget with an overall total of N47,971,130,414.28 representing 45.8 per cent as follows: 

Personnel Cost/CRF Salaries - N34,891,130,414.28

Pension and Gratuity -  N13,080,000,000.00 

Masari also gave other recurrent expenditure for debt servicing, self-sustain expenditure & overhead cost            as N56,609,355,582.00 which is 54.13 per cent making the overall total for recurrent expenditures N104,580,485,996.28

For capital expenditures, Masari said the sum of N184,052,771,966.72 which is equivalent to 63.77 per cent of the total budget is estimated for the capital expenditure."

The Katsina Governor also provided the four sectoral allocations which he said is in line with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) as follows: 

 

i)  N83,294,219,978.00 for the Economic Sector representing 45.26%

ii) N81,358,212,977.00 for the

Social Sector representing 44.20 per cent.

N17,539,490,974.72 for Administration representing  

9.53 per cent.

 N1,860,848,037.00 for Law & Justice representing 1.0 per cent putting the overall total for all the sectoral allocations at N184,052,771,966.72.

Masari who acknowledged that his government experienced a number of challenges which in one way or the other affected its performance, zeal and determination to deliver all of its campaign promises mentioned the challenges to include Covid-19 Pandemic, Cattle Rustling, Banditry, Armed Robbery, Low revenue income, among others.

However, he said "despite all these, the State Government has successfully touched all the sectors of the economy in general and his restoration agenda particularly.

"When we were elected as Government of Katsina State, we came in with a blueprint on the Restoration Agenda, which was designed to fulfill our campaign promises on:

Education, Health, Agriculture, Water Resources, Environment, Roads and Infrastructural Development. It is on record that the present administration has successfully fulfilled most of the campaign promises as designed under the Restoration Agenda," Masari stated.

The Speaker Katsina House of Assembly, Hon. Tasiu Musa Maigari in his remarks affirmed the commitment of the legislators to support the Government, assuring that they are fully prepared to examine the contents of the estimates of Ministries, Departments and Agencies that fall under their legislative purview.

The speaker also assured that  the House will waste no time in examining the proposed estimates with exceptional diligence so as to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people. 

He therefore called on the Ministries, Departments and Agencies to appear before the House Committee on Appropriation to defend their estimates and strictly adhere to the Budget Defence time table that will be sent to them soonest.