Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Tuesday presented a budget of N189 billion for 2020 to the State House of Assembly for approval.
Ortom, while presenting the budget in Makurdi, said it was made up of N114 billion recurrent expenditure and N74 billion capital expenditure.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the budget was N10 billion less than the 2019 Budget of N199 billion, representing 9.2 per cent.
Ortom explained that N50 billion of the budget was for personnel cost, while N63 billion was for overhead, adding that there were pending negotiations with Labour on the new Minimum Wage, which may have effect on the budget.
The governor further disclosed that the economic sector, which got the highest budget, was allocated N73 billion, social sector N64 billion, administration N48 billion, while law and Justice got N2 billion.
He said the implementation of the budget was dependent on the macroeconomic indices such as unchanged revenue sharing formula, N305 exchange rate to a dollar and improved Federal Government monetary policies.
“The focus of my administration for this second term is on raising the living standard of the people at the grassroots by facilitating economic growth and human capital development,” he said.
The governor further disclosed that government was experiencing challenges in the areas of salary arrears, pensions and insecurity among others.
Trending
- Traditional ruler shot dead inside palace
- Primate Ayodele to Yoruba Nation agitators: You can’t break Nigeria
- Police intercept bags of Indian Hemp at Lagos jetty
- Enugu, families to give Ibu, Junior Pope befitting burial
- Police arrest suspects for attempting to disrupt inauguration of commissioners
- Police rescue three children locked up by grandmother + Photo
- Police foil attack in Katsina, neutralise suspected bandit
- US vetoes Palestine’s request for full UN membership