The Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has signed into law the 2021 appropriation bill passed into law by the Borno State House of Assembly.
The budget was however jerked from N208 billion proposed by Zulum to N248 billion.
The Assembly said this was to cater for industrial projects by the Borno State plastic industry and Maiduguri International Hotel amongst series of others contained in the budget specifics that will be made public after publication.
Zulum had in his initial presentation proposed N135.1 billion was for capital projects, which represented 65 per cent of the budget sum, and N72 billion for recurrent.
The governor, while signing the increased budget on Monday at the Council Chamber of the Government House in Maiduguri, charged all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to comply strictly with the provisions of the 2021 appropriation law.
He also directed his cabinet members to accelerate activities in their ministries for the people of Borno State to derive maximum benefit.
Zulum expressed appreciation to the leadership and members of the Borno State House of Assembly for their cooperation with the executive arm.
The Governor explained that in 2021, his administration will sustain its priority on security, education, healthcare, agriculture, provision portable water as well as reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of internally displaced persons and refugees.
Before Zulum signed the budget, the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, explained the increase of the budget from N208 billion to N248 billion was to cater for industrial growth that will increase job opportunities.
Borno State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Kaka Shehu Lawan, conducted the signing ceremony, noting that the Governor’s assent was a constitutional requirement for the bill passed by the assembly to become law of the state.