CD Wants Niger 2024 Budget Reviewed

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Chapter of the Campaign for Democracy (CD) has told the Niger State House of Assembly to review the state’s 2024 budget because it is too skewed to capital projects.

The House had passed the budget of N613.2 billion made up of N149.2 for recurrent expenditure and the balance of N464.05 billion for capital, which Governor Umaru Bago assented to less than 24 hours after its passage.

But the CD has said that the budget “will not serve the interest of majority of people in the state.”

A statement that was jointly signed the Chairman and Secretary of CD, Dr. Abdullahi A. Jabi and Mr. Tajudeen Alanamu, respectively, declared that the call for the review of the budget is because of the “social problems or challenges that will accompany the 30 per cent recurrent expenditure and 70 per cent for capital projects implementation.”

The CD commiserated with the state government over the loss of innocent lives when a boat capsised between New Bussa and Kebbi State.

It, however, called on the safety agencies “to do the needful by recapitalising over used local boats and ensure total compliance by boat passengers wearing the safety kits to prevent reoccurrence of such accidents on our waterways.

“The Niger State Government should invest in the procurement of new boats and ensure adequate training and retraining of boat operators including enforcement and punishment for violators.”

The statement revealed that the organisation would be involved in the rerun/bye election and urged all the players to play according to the rules.