The Kaduna State Government has said that its 2019 fiscal Policy is detached from unforeseen negative shocks to turn the tide towards growth and development.
The budget, it says, is not only realistic, but Implementable for the fiscal year.
The Commissioner for Planning and Budget Commission, Mohammed Sani Dattijo, who stated this at a Town Hall Meeting in Kaduna, North West Nigeria, explained that despite the upswing in the macro economic indicators, the state in it’s wisdom was conservative in its Projects.
Giving an insight into the fiscal document, the Commissioner said the multi-year budget is hinted on the 2016 Zero Based Budget principles and tailored towards actualisation of the State Development Plan 2016 – 2020.
These Principles include, ensuring the utilisation of the development priorities of the government, maintain a favourable proportion of Capital to Recurrent Expenditures, adequate provision to complete 2018 Projects in 2019, expanding State revenue generation capacity, eliminate wastage and other Unjustifiable expenditure as well as maintaining debt position in line with Federal Debt Management Office criteria.
The summary of the draft 2019 budget as released by Dattijo shows a size of N155,249,339,539.81.
Of the amount, N64,454,972,978.96 goes for Recurrent Expenditure, while Capital Expenditure carries N90,794, 366,560.81.
Taking an overview of the draft budget, the Commissioner said the State has presented a modest Budget compare to the current fiscal year which is higher.
Mohammed told participants at the Meeting that the State had been hit by revenue shortfalls from under performance of its internally generated revenue and therefore solicited the support of the people by ensuring that they pay their taxes appropriately.
The Town Hall Meeting which was the fourth in the series was in line with the Administration’s promise to ensure that the citizens have a say in the governance, more so that Kaduna is a member of the Open Government Partnership.
Open Government Partnership is a global Platform which secures concrete commitments from governments to to Promote transparency, empower citizens ,fight Corruption,and harness technologies to strengthen governance.