Osun, Niger, Nasarawa governors sign 2022 appropriation bill into law

Governors Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, Abubakar Sani-Bello of Niger and Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa States have signed the 2022 appropriation bill into law.

Osun State

Oyetola, while signing the Appropriation Bill of N129.7billion in his office, in Osogbo, on Wednesday announced that the 2021 budget, as at the third quarter of this year, had recorded 83.6 per cent performance.

Oyetola said, with the passage and signing of the 2022 Appropriation Bill into Law, the race to achieving even more in 2022 has begun as it remains a year of consolidation that will open the door for improved sustainable development.

He expressed the confidence that by the end of the year, when the final quarter of 2021 budget would have been computed, the performance of the budget would be more than 95 per cent recorded in 2020.

Oyetola attributed the appreciable performance of the 2021 budget to improved delivery of programmes and projects across the state during the year.

He said his government is able to achieve 2021 budget performance and service delivery through improved employment of creative, innovative and probity strategies.

He said strategies employed included efficient deployment of available resources, cutting costs and plugging wastes to deliver service in a sorely challenged economy.

He pledged his administration’s resolve to continue to follow time-tested principles for optimum results in 2022, saying “with 56 per cent capital allocation and 44 per cent recurrent allocation in next year’s budget, we are obviously on the path of increased service delivery in 2022.”

While commending the spirit of harmonious relationship, cooperation and synergy among the three arms of government, particularly between the legislature and executive, he said his government had been able to deliver people-oriented service in the state.

“In the last three years of working together as executive and legislative arms of government, we have demonstrated unity of purpose, capacity and people-orientation in a manner that has delivered service to the people in line with our promise and the people’s expectations.”

“I thank the people of Osun for their cooperation and appeal to them to continue to offer a stronger platform for a better performance,” Oyetola said.

Niger State

For his part, Governor Bello signed N211 billion 2022 budget.

Bello signed the bill into law at government house shortly before the commencement of the weekly executive council meeting in Minna on Wednesday.

He appreciated the lawmakers for the timely passage of the bill, adding that his administration has been enjoying a cordial relationship with the legislative arm of government.

The governor commended the doggedness of the lawmakers in ensuring that the right thing is done always, adding that their insistence in most cases has been of help to his administration.

“I have seen reasons in their stubbornness sometimes and I must confess I really appreciate it because most times they are right and that is how it should be. So when we have our differences we come back and we reconcile,” he added.

He said that his administration is poised to fund the budget as it is the last full budget to be implemented by the present administration.

He noted that the Board of Internal Revenue is also determined to improve the state’s Internally Generated Revenue in addition to the other sources of revenue to the state.

“On our part, we will try and see that we implement the budget but of course it is subject to availability of funds. As we are all aware, the budget is just a statement, we hope that we will be able to fund it 100 per cent,” he said.

In his remarks, the Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Bawa, said the responses from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were encouraging during the budget screening process.

He, however, said the budget was adjusted to carter for some MDAs that were hitherto not captured properly.

He assured that the state assembly will, through its oversight functions, ensure full implementation of the budget.

Nasarawa State

Meanwhile, Gov. Sule signed N110 billion 2022 appropriation bill into law.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Lafia, Gov. Sule lauded the House of Assembly members for passing the budget within the shortest period of time despite their busy schedules.

Sule said that he presented the budget on December 9 but the assembly members denied themselves weekends and holidays to ensure that it was passed.

“The assembly at first passed it on December 22 with the increase to N114 billion, but after going through and based on the realities on ground I sent it back for amendment and they sat again and passed it into law on Wednesday, 29 December.

“This kind of commitment by the honourable members is the first of its kind since the state was created in 1996,” Sule added.

He further explained that the budget performance of the administration in 2021 was 64 per cent, adding that he is determined to surpass that performance in 2022.

The Governor expressed optimism that with the caliber of persons appointed and inaugurated as Commissioners and other aides, the administration would perform more than it did in the previous years.

Sule also announced that he would flag off the dualization of Shendam road from Toto filling station through government house to Alkurba.

“On that same day, I will also flag off the construction of Agbashi/Edadu road in Doma Local Government Area to open up the communities in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on Dec. 9, Gov. Sule presented the 2022 budget proposal of N109.8 billion to the State House of Assembly for consideration and approval.

NAN also recalls that on Dec. 22, the assembly passed N114. 3bilion as 2022 budget, but had to review it downward and passed it again in an emergency sitting on December 29 following a request from the governor.

Earlier, Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, presented the budget to the governor for his assent.

The Speaker had promised that the assembly would continue to support the governor through legislation for the overall development of the state.