By Nahum Sule (Taraba State Correspondent, in Jalingo)
Taraba State Governor, Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku, his assent to the 2022 budget already passed by the Taraba State House of Assembly.
Last week Friday, the hallow the Taraba state lawmakers passed the 2022 appropriation bill into law amounting to a total sum of N149,784,896,396.82. This is an additional increase of N3 Billion against the initial proposed budget of N146,0781,653,671.82 by the governor.
The Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Hon Joseph Albasu Kunini, while presenting the report of the budget to the governor, stressed that the increase is for the good of the people. He thanked the governor for his support to the lawmakers in passing the bill into law within 14 days.
According to the Speaker, the 2022 budget now has a recurrent expenditure of N78,072,587,679,90 and capital expenditure of N71,712,308,716,82.
Stressing that the reason for jacking up the budget is to capture all areas that were not captured and add funds to areas where more funds are needed to function effectively.
Kunini describes the increase as another milestone in the history of the House of Assembly and the state in general in other to put the Taraba state in good shape.
In his remarks, Governor Darius Ishaku responded to the Speaker, asserting that he presented a bill on 19 November to the House of Assembly for the Appropriation for the 2022 budget.
"I commend the lawmakers for a job well done, and a reasonable increase against the initial proposed budget in their wisdom. The appropriation bill received a full commitment in its passage. With honesty, I thank the speaker in his sincerity in pioneering the activity of the house".
"Taraba is the Japan of Nigeria, in producing a very remarkable tea to serve the nation. My administration has provided an adequate water supply to the entire state. This is the legacy I want to leave when I leave the office. The administration is determined to maintain fiscal discipline in completing all the ongoing projects in the state".
We have stopped leakages from ghost workers in the state, but unfortunately, the ghost is reoccurring. "Security is my priority, I've talked to the traditional chiefs not to allow strangers in their settlement. But the refusal of traditional rulers in disobeying my command will further make me never hesitate to remove any traditional ruler in the state for insubordination.
"Intelligence information gathered by our government is that terrorists are trying to set up a camp in Taraba, and this is the work of the traditional rulers to report any suspicious movement"
The governor thanked the lawmakers and prays that all citizens of the state will benefit from the 2022 budget. NNL.
