The Bauchi House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the state’s 2019 Budget Bill, less than a month after it was presented to it by Gov. Muhammed Abubakar.

The legislature increased the budget by N2 billion to bring its overall size to N198, 849, 074, 280.00.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor presented to the house a budget estimate of N196,722, 411, 436.00, on Dec. 20, 2018.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Mr Ibrahim Hassan, said during the passage that the legislature received and considered the report of the committee before passing the budget.

“As regards the newly established government agencies such as the Health Care Trust Fund and Health Contributory Agency, which have adequately received much attention in the 2019 proposed estimates, the government should release funds for their take-off and other logistics support service in order to achieve the desired objectives.

“Just as Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, empowers the governor to lay before this honourable House the income and expenditure estimates of the state for the next financial year by way of an appropriation bill, Section 4 empowers the legislature to make laws for peace, order and good governance of the state.

“The committee, therefore, in consideration of the observations and recommendations made by various MDAs, this honourable. House resolved to increase the budget size by N2 billion to fund such vital heads in the budget for the betterment of our state.

“Having thoroughly examined the above, the committee recommended a total budget size of N198, 849, 074, 280.00 only, made up of recurrent expenditure of N82, 654, 333, 859.00 and capital expenditure of N116, 194, 740, 421.00,” Hassan said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/01/assembly-increases-bauchi-2019-budget.html