This amount represents 22.89 per cent of the overall estimated budget of N139.5 billion recently passed into law by the State House of Assembly. The 201`7 budget is N7.2 billion less than the 2016 budget of N146.7 billion. The 2017 budget is made up of N70.13 billion for capital and N69.36 billion for recurrent expenditures.
This is even as the budget is expected to be financed with a deficit of N17.21 billion from internal loans.
Speaking at a budget breakdown in Jos on Thursday, the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Tamwakat Weli, justified the huge amount for running the government. She said that as the sector that services the machinery of government, the administration was determined to make the working environment conducive to enhance productivity.
She said that of this amount N2 billion will be used to procure official vehicles, and N1 billion for the completion of the new Government House, which was constructed by his predecessor, Senator Jonah Jang.
Giving sectoral allocation of the budget, Weli said that the government expects N23 billion from internally generated revenue, N30 billion fro federation account, N20 billion from reimbursements on federal projects executed by the state government and N2.7 billion from NNPC refunds, exchange rate gains and excess PPT.
On capital receipts, the commissioner said that the budget is expected to be financed from a deficit financing of N17 billion, N9 billion was expected from VAT, N3.5 billion from draw downs.
Works and Transport got the highest sectoral allocation of N18.56 billion, followed by education, N11.88; Agriculture and rural development, N6.1 billion and health, N4.43 billion amongst others.
The commissioner said that is seriously thinking outside the box to propel the economy of the state back on sustainable growth and development.