• Earmarks N28.8b to rebuild border communities
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has presented a budget of N268 billion to the House of Assembly for the 2022 fiscal year.
According to him, the budget aims at accelerating the reconstruction of destroyed communities for the safe return of 1.7 million displaced persons with livelihood support.
Zulum, while presenting the appropriation bill yesterday at the state House of Assembly in Maiduguri, said that capital expenditures were allocated N172.53 billion, while recurrent ones stood at N95.4 billion.
He said the budget increased by N22 billion or nine per cent over this year’s N246 billion.
The governor explained that the 2022 budget would be financed from recurrent revenues of N113.84 billion, which comprise statutory allocations of N48.22 billion, Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) of N34.53 billion, N20.72 billion VAT and the federal account sources of N10.37 billion.
Besides, he added that a capital receipt of N154.1 billion was also being complemented with loans and grants to finance the budget.
He noted that the financing of the appropriation bill was based on anticipated increase in IGR by over 50 per cent.
MEANWHILE, the Borno State Government has earmarked N28.8 billion to rebuild 12 destroyed border communities with Niger and Cameroun.
The Boko Haram destroyed communities include Malam Fatori, Gudumbali, Logumane, Gajibo, Dalwa, Ngorosoye and Kirawa, a border community with Niger.
The other five with Cameroun comprise Mirwa, Ashigashiya, Dikwa, Darmajal and Kwaya/Kusar in the South Senatorial District of the state.
Zulum, who disclosed this in Maiduguri while presenting next year’s budget to the House, said that infrastructural facilities were also to be provided in the council headquarters of Abadam, Guzamala and Kukawa in the northern part of the state.
According to him, plans are also underway to rehabilitate five Government Estates, including Bakasi and Teachers Village in Maiduguri metropolis.
He said that the reconstruction would be carried out by the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (MRRR) led by Alhaji Mustapha Gubio, the commissioner, along with the project’s monitoring team.
He said: “The Borno State Security Trust Fund will address security challenges bedevilling the people for over a decade,” adding that N3.3 billion has been earmarked to the fund to deploy security equipment across the state.
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