Niger State Governor, Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago, has signed into law the 2024 appropriation bill of over N613.9 into law.
This is coming barely a week after the appropriation was presented to the Niger State House of Assembly.
Bago who announced the nomenclature of title, preferring to be henceforth addressed as, ‘Farmer Governor’ during the presentation of the budget, performed the statutory duty few hours after the legislature had passed the budget, Wednesday.
The amount signed by the Governor at Government House in the evening was increased by N720 million, against the N613.2 billion that was initially presented to the State House of Assembly last week.
Speaking shortly after signing the appropriation bill, Farmer Governor Bago commended the Speaker, Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji and other members of the legislature for the timeliness in passage of appropriation, describing it as ‘unprecedented’.
The budget holds a lot, Governor Umar Bago said assuring that the 2024 budget will be implemented to its fullest in line with the electioneering campaign promises of speedy transforming Niger state to enviable heights.
Governor Bago also wants all the revenue-generating Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to rise to the occasion of intensifying revenue generation efforts while also cautioning them against tampering with funds without his approval.
Bago who cautioned all the MDAs not to dare him with the unofficial policy of, ‘generate and spend’ revenues, a common trend in the past said the policy has been abolished as part of strategies to block all loopholes through which government monies are siphoned.
Meanwhile, Governor Umar Bago has given the contractor handling the construction of legislative quarters at the 3-arm zone three months within which to complete the job to enable the legislators have a befitting accommodation.
Restating his administration’s commitments towards strengthening existing working synergy between the executive and legislative arm of government, the Governor assured that the instrument of oversight functions of the legislature will not be compromised.
The Governor who read riot act to heads of MDAs who dare fail to appear before any of the House Committees for scrutiny and status quo said he will not hesitate to fire any head of agency that fail to cooperate with the legislature.
“Legislature and its sanctity must be protected. For any government to do well, somebody must be there criticize and scrutinize the activities of the government. It is also important that we should leave our books open in the spirit of probity and accountability”.
Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji had earlier told the Governor that the budget size was increased by N720 million to cater for some critical areas of need in order to realize the, “New Niger state” agenda.
The Speaker who assured Governor Bago that the legislature will not be a clog in the wheel of his developmental strides, said the quick passage of the budget was achieved because the Planning Commission was able to carry the legislature along in the budget preparations.
