Bauchi 20 LGAs to Spend N65.8bn in 2023

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Bauchi State House of Assembly (BAHA) has passed into law, the 2023 proposed Consolidated Budget of the 20 Local Government Areas of the State which stands at the sum of N65,837,673,656.00.

This followed the laying of the report of the joint House Committee on Appropriation and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on the proposed 2023 Consolidated Budget of 20 Local Government Areas of Bauchi State by the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation Hon. Abdulkadir Umar Dewu representing Kirfi Constituency.

 The Committee, while laying the report, explained that it had series of engagements with critical stakeholders and had carefully scrutinised the proposed Consolidated Budget document of the 20 Local Government Councils in the State.

According to the Committee, based on that, it recommended that the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in collaboration with the 20 Local Government Councils should organise intensive capacity building programmes for the Local Government Councils budget officers to enable them learn the rudiments of budget preparations in line with IPSAS standard.

It also recommended that subsequent capital expenditure estimates of the local government councils should be given the required priority in order to boost the socio-economic development of the LGAs in line with the best global practice.

The Committee therefore, recommended that the sum of N65,837,673,656.00 only should be adopted as 2023 Consolidated Budget of 20 Local Government Councils of Bauchi State.

The House then dissolved in to Committee of a whole in which it subsequently adopted the recommendations.

Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu Azare representing Madangala Constituency  requested the House to allow the 2023 proposed Consolidated Budget of 20 Local Government Areas of Bauchi State to undergo third reading and was seconded by the Minority Leader, Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo representing Chiroma Constituency.

Upon approval by the Members, the Speaker, Abubakar Sulaiman, asked the Deputy Clerk of the House, Lamara Abdu Chinade to carryout the Third reading.

It was done leading to the adoption of the recommendations and subsequent passage into law.

Also, report of the House Committee on Health and Human Services on a Bill for a Law to amend the Law that provide for the establishment of Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and for matters connected therewith was laid by Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir representing Disina Constituency.

The Committee explained that it carefully studied the Bill and convened a meeting in which some critical stakeholders were consulted for inputs on the Bill.

The Committee observed that the rank of the Chief of Executive Officer of the Agency was wrongly addressed and some important departments are not captured in the Bill.

It therefore, recommended that all sections where  the Chief Executive Officer was addressed as Executive Chairman should be changed to Executive Secretary to conform with the title applicable nationwide and two departments; Pharmaceutical Services Department and Medical Laboratory Services Department should be added.

The House adopted the recommendations of the Committee, making Saleh Hodi Jibir representing Disina Constituency to request the House to allow a Bill for a Law to amend the Law that provide for the establishment of Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and for matters connected therewith.

He was seconded by Hon. Sabo Bako Sade representing Sade Constituency.

After the Members approved, the Speaker directed the Deputy Clerk of the House, Lamara Abdu Chinade to carry out the Third reading.

Therefore the Bill for a Law to amend the Law that provide for the establishment of Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and for matters connected therewith, was passed into law as contained in a statement by  Abdul Ahmad Burra, Spokesperson to the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly.