Kwara Gov signs 2022 budget as CAPEX hits 56%

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Friday signed the 2022 budget, with the capital expenditure now pegged at 56%, indicating a commitment to complete many of the ongoing infrastructural projects.

The size of the budget is N189.4bn, 44% of it being for recurrent expenditure.

The House passed the budget on Thursday. The proposal from the executive had pegged the CAPEX at 55.3% of the Titian package while the recurrent stood at 44.7%.

Speaking shortly after signing the budget, the Governor said the budget also captured workers’ promotion and the consequential adjustment component of the national minimum wage — the payment of which begins this month amid applause from various labour unions.

“Some of the highlights of the budget included the implementation of the consequential adjustment of minimum wage and paying some salary arrears that could not be paid by the previous administration. We are equally doing cash backing of promotions. Those are some of the major challenges for the administration,” he said, in what underscored his passion for workers’ welfare.

“We will also focus on completing ongoing infrastructural projects, job creation and expanding the economic base of the state. We will try to ensure full implementation of the budget as much as revenue permits.

“I must commend the House for doing the needful to ensure that the budget is passed on time. We appreciate the work you have done.”

Some of the dignitaries at the budget signing are House of Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu; Deputy Speaker Hon. Raphael Adetiba; Leader of the House Hon. Mogaji Olawoyin; Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation Hon. Ibrahim Ambali; Commissioners for Finance and Planning and Economic Development Florence Olasumbo Oyeyemi and Remilekun Banigbe; Special Adviser on Strategy Saadu Salau; and Clerk of the House Halimat Jummai Kperogi.

Danladi-Salihu, who commended the administration for its commitment to development, reaffirmed the determination of the House towards effective lawmaking in the state.

He added: “The budget was presented on the 22nd of December, 2021 and the Assembly began work immediately. We invited ministries, departments and agencies for budget defence. We scrutinised and passed the budget yesterday (Thursday).

“The budget is truly a budget of sustainable development and economic growth. The capital votes favour projects that will touch the lives of the people and reforms that would attend to decayed infrastructure. With these projects, our state will move to the next level infrastructural wise.

“The two previous budgets passed by this assembly show the prudency, integrity and transparency of this administration. It is our belief that the prudency and transparency that played out in the previous ones will play out with this too.

“Most of the projects cut across the three senatorial districts while the recurrent also aptly caters for the people’s welfare.”

He commended his colleagues for their hard work and commitment to the success of the administration.