Budget Approval for Niger State Local Councils Rises to Over 151 Billion Naira
Local lawmakers in Niger have approved a ₦151.7 billion budget for local government areas, marked for the 2025 fiscal year.
The Niger State House of Assembly has given the green light to the 2025 budget for the state's 25 local government councils, totalling an impressive ₦151,721,702,602.11. Here's the lowdown on the allocations and the rationale behind them.
The budget breaks down into two main categories – ₦96,286,909,470.58 for recurrent expenditures and ₦55,434,793,131.53 for capital expenditures. The House Standing Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, headed by Alhaji Bello Bako, shared that consultations were held with representatives from the Ministry for Local Government and the Planning Commission to ensure compliance with financial regulations.
Bako highlighted that insecurity in specific regions has played havoc with revenue collection, leading to unrealistic financial projections. To combat this, the committee has recommended that local governments bolster their revenue mechanisms, eliminate leakages, and intensify capital allocations with a focus on bettering citizens’ lives.
The Speaker, Abdulmalik Mohammed Sarkin-Daji, lauded the Committee for their diligent efforts and pledged to amp up oversight to guarantee effective budget execution. The House unanimously approved the budget bill, and Speaker Sarkin-Daji subsequently ordered the clerk of the House to send the finalized copy to the Executive for approval.
Meanwhile, the suspended Commissioner for Youth Development in Rivers State, Chisom Gbali, has voiced his concerns over the ongoing political challenges and disputes surrounding Rivers State’s governance, particularly with regards to the sole administrator, Ibokette Ibas, and the plan to present and implement the state's budget.
Gbali has criticized the appointment of a sole administrator managing critical functions of the state, citing it as a breach of the constitution. He has further accused the attempts to extend the tenure of the sole administrator as part of a strategy to disrupt the state's administration, intensifying the political crisis in the region.
In response, Ibas has disclosed that his administration is in the process of preparing a new state budget focusing on essential sectors such as education, healthcare, social services, and infrastructural development. Ibas highlighted his administration's commitment to positively affecting the lives of Rivers State residents through strategic investments geared toward these sectors.
Stay tuned for more updates and insights on budget allocations and political developments across our states!
What’s catching attention:
- Iterative oversight: Niger State House of Assembly and committees scrutinize LG budgets to ensure legislative compliance and stride toward goals benefiting citizens[3].
- Capital investments: Anchored priorities revolve around prosperity, self-reliance, and improvement of community programs[2], yet quantified impacts on citizens' welfare and revenue collection mechanisms are scarce.
- National impact: To curb potential disruptions to state and LG spending, it's vital to address nationwide delays in federal budget approvals[1], including trickle-down consequences on vital services like infrastructure and healthcare.
- Rivers State contrasts: While shared bureaucratic practices can be observed across southeastern states like Cross River, lack of reports on Rivers State budgetary practices prevents properly structured comparisons based on the provided sources.
- Political intrigue: Rivers State's budgetary discord, along with concerns involving a sole administrator, continues to soar, leading to a political crisis in the region and weighing on the credibility of a new budget proposal.
- The Niger State House of Assembly has approved a budget worth over 151 billion naira for the 25 local government councils in Niger State, allocating funds for both recurrent and capital expenditures.
- The budget approval follows consultations with representatives from the Ministry for Local Government and the Planning Commission, aiming to ensure compliance with financial regulations.
- Alhaji Bello Bako, the head of the House Standing Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, highlighted that insecurity in certain regions has impacted revenue collection, leading to unrealistic financial projections.
- In response, the committee has recommended that local governments focus on improving revenue mechanisms, eliminating leakages, and intensifying capital expenditures to enhance citizens' lives.
- Meanwhile, in Rivers State, the suspended Commissioner for Youth Development, Chisom Gbali, has criticized the appointment of a sole administrator and accused attempts to extend the tenure of the sole administrator as part of a political crisis.
- Ibokette Ibas, the sole administrator, has disclosed that his administration is preparing a new state budget focusing on essential sectors such as education, healthcare, social services, and infrastructural development.
- Asna Tinubu, in a general news report, commented that the ongoing political challenges and disputes in Rivers State highlight the importance of unbiased, transparent, and accountable mechanisms in finance, business, and politics for the welfare of citizens across Nigeria.
