The Plateau State House of Assembly (PLHA), has approved the sum of twenty seven billion naira (N27,000,000,000,00) only as supplementary budget for the 2023 fiscal year.
This is sequel to a communication received from the state Executive Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, requesting the assembly’s consideration and approval.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Moses Thomas Sule who read the communication before the floor of the House during an emergency Friday plenary, acknowledged the proposed submission by His Excellency.
According to the governor, the need to submit the document was in consideration of the fact that the budget already adopted, was inherited by his administration upon assumption of office in May, 2023 and not a reflection of its administration’s agenda.
Another communication was also received by the House, for the approval of the state government to take a facility of one billion, five hundred and sixty two million, eight hundred and eighteen thousand, one hundred and twenty four naira, thirty one kobo (N1,562,818,124.31) only.
This, according to the state government, is to enable it to pay the counterpart funding in order to access the same from the Universal Basic Education (UBEC).
The communication reads, “You may be aware that the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board has been unable to access funding from UBEC from the second half of 2021 to date, due to the state government’s inability to provide counterpart funding that will qualify the state to access the same”
Also during plenary, the House hurriedly passed the 2024 budget proposal that was earlier presented to it by the state governor last Tuesday, after the Committee Chairman on Appropriation, Hon. Danjuma Azi read its report before the floor of the House.
Recall that the budget defense by MDAs which had commenced Thursday, 9th October was called off on the second day Friday 10th. No reason was given for its suspension.
