Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has sent an N8.67billion 2021 Supplementary Budget to the House of Assembly for consideration and approval.
Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, read the governor’s request during the house proceedings in Lafia, last Wednesday.
According to the Speaker, the supplementary bill if passed into law was to ensure the completion of ongoing projects in the state.
“A Bill for a Law to issue out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State ( Supplementary Appropriation Bill) of the sum of N5, 975, 076, 812.86 and a virement ( Re- Allocation/ Adjustment ) of N2,690,023,000 only for the services of Nasarawa State Government scaled first and second readings.
“I commit the bill to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation to work on it and report back to the House on Oct. 19, 2021,” he said.
Earlier, Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Tanko Tunga (APC, Awe North), moved a motion for the bill to scale first and second readings, respectively.
Hon. Abel Yakubu Bala (PDP, Nassarawa Eggon West) , Minority Leader of the House, seconded the motion.
The Assemnly unanimously passed the bill into first and second readings after Hon Muhammed Okpoku (APC, Udege/Loko) spoke in favour of the bill.
It would be recalled that on Dec.31, 2020 Engineer Sule has signed the state N115.7 billion 2021 budget into law.
He said that the signing of the budget tagged ‘Budget of Economic Recuperation’ would enable the state to begin the constitutional 12-months budget circle, starting from Jan.1 and ending on Dec. 31.
It would also be recalled that the governor had on Nov. 17 presented a budget of N112.9 billion to the State House of Assembly for approval.
The lawmakers however, raised the amount to N115.7 billion representing 2.48 per cent increase.
In a related development, the House passed into first reading A Bill for a Law to Establish the State Security Trust Fund in Nasarawa State and Other Related Matters Therewith.
The speaker has slated Oct. 20, 2021 for the second reading of the bill.
Furthermore, the House also passed into first reading A Bill for a Law to Establish the Nasarawa State Information Technology Development Agency and Other Related Matters.
The Speaker has slated October 25, 2021, for the Second Reading of the bill.