By Yusuf Ishaku Goje
Yesterday, the Kaduna State House of Assembly passed the 2023 Appropriation bill into law and was subsequently assented to by the Executive Governor. Commendably, this is consistent with keeping to the January to December fiscal year calendar by the State government.
A total of N376.5 billion (N376,456,634,924.66) was approved for the incoming year, a 1.6% (N6,129,530,657) increase from the N370.3 billion (N370,327,104,267.31) submitted to the State House of Assembly. Also, this amount is an astronomical increase of 35.1% (N97,874,776,679) from the N278.6 billion (N278,581,858,245.02) approved 2022 budget, which was later on in the year revised to N279.6 billion (N279,628,612,245.02).
The 2023 approved amount is 8.7% of the State’s N4,309,206,529,296 (BudgIT State of States 2022 report) Gross Domestic Product (GDP). While the per capita, using the 9.48 million estimated 2020 population versus the approved amount, is N39,710, which is expected to be spent on each resident of the State if the budget is 100% implemented.
A breakdown of the budgeted amount shows that recurrent expenditure takes 36%, N135.5 billion (N135,484,430,899.57), an increase of 6.1% (N7,779,985,424) from the N127.7 billion (N127,704,445,475.67) earlier submitted to the Assembly. Furthermore, capital expenditure got 64%, N240.9 billion (N240,972,204,025.09), a decrease of 0.6% (N1,650,454,766) from the initial N242.6 billion (N242,622,658,791.65) submitted.
Notably, the size (realism/credibility) of the approved budget should be of keen interest to residents of the State. This is considering that it is not only ambitious but it is coming in an election year, as a new administration will be expected to implement a large part (two quarters of the year) of it. This also far exceeds the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF, 2023-2025) recommended budget size made available to civil society.
Many will also recall that the 2021 Auditor General’s Report had offered the opinion that our revenue targets are bogus and exaggerated, with many of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) not meeting their targets. The uncertainties around the Russian-Ukraine war remains an ever present threat to the global economy, of which we are not immune to.
Nonetheless, as we anticipate that the details of the approved budget will be made public soonest, it is only expedient that in the first few weeks of the new year, civil society should carry-out a post mortem to assess citizens influence and strategize on how to effectively engage the implementation stage. Like we are all aware, the elections is upon us, meaning key government leaders will be distracted with campaigns. We cannot afford to be equally distracted.
Lets engage, ask the right questions and hold the government accountable.
#CALPED
