Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state, has signed the N106.8 billion budget into law with a decrease of 9.4 per cent of appropriations. The Appropriation and Financial bills tagged: “Budget of Recovery, Consolidation and Economic Rejuvenation,” allocated N54.46 billion to the economic sector. While assenting to the budget; at the weekend in Damaturu, the state capital, he said the state government will adopt the comparative advantages in the agricultural sector for Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) and national food security. According to him, the state has comparative advantages in the production of rice, beans, sorghum, sesame seeds, gam Arabic and livestock. “There are a lot of job opportunities in the livestock and agricultural sectors that can fight poverty and unemployment among youths. “I also appreciate the legislators for the accelerated passage of this budget proposal, that was presented November 12, 2020,” he said, noting that the budget was however; slashed by N100 million. He attributed the drop in the proposed budget to the present economic realities and expected revenues in the 2021 fiscal year. He therefore assured the Assembly for an improved working relationship between the executive and legislature for effective service delivery to the people. Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ahmed Lawan Mirwa commended the Governor for prioritising the completion of various projects in the budget; rather than embarking on new ones. He therefore charged the State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to adhere strictly to budgetary provisions to ensure fiscal discipline. “This is to ensure transparency, prudence and accountability to the people that voted us into office,” he said.
