The 2021 appropriation bill presented by Governor Bello Matawalle on Thursday had passed through second reading as members deliberated extensively on the bill at the floor of the house.
The Majority leader and other members of the state house of assembly took time to deliberate extensively on the appropriation bill and passed comments that are considered critical to the enhancement of the appropriation bill before it was handed down to the committee of finance and appropriation for further action.
The member representing Shinkafi constituency who doubled as the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation Muhammad G. Ahmad said the budget defense by MDA’s is going to last for five (5)days only effective from Wednesday this week (today) crossing up to Tuesday next week.
He argued that, the reasons for slating the budget defense by MDA’S to five days only may not be unconnected with the need for the 2021 budget to be passed by January 2021 so that the appropriation bill can best comply with the IPSAS baseline.
He further noted that in order to carry the public along, the State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning is going to organize a town hall meeting in all the three senatorial districts so that people can have the opportunity to input in to the 2021 budget appropriation bill before it is passed in to law.
On his own part the Chairman of the House Committee on Education Yusuf Alhassan Kanoma commended the effort of the executive arm of the government for allocating the highest share of the 2021 budget to education saying it was one of the popular decisions which will impact positively on the lives of the people.
As for the member representing Zurmi East Salihu Usman Zurmi reminded his colleagues on the need for them to take time and extensively deliberate on the appropriation bill considering its significance to the lives of the people of the state.
Speaking also the Deputy House Leader Nasiru Lawal Bungudu cautioned the public against unwarranted condemnation of government efforts which are geared toward addressing infrastructural deficit suffered by the state for years.
He specifically wondered why some section of the citizens are against government’e effort in rehabilitating the dilapidated state secretariat and office of the Head of Service of the state noting that such laudable initiative needs to be commended and supported.
