As Nigeria grapples with the effects of economic recession, a state government has set a good example for the rest by signing its 2017 budget in record time. The Kaduna State government this morning signed a N214.921 billion budget for 2017 at a ceremony attended by the Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and members of the state executive council. The governor noted that the Kaduna State House of Assembly is the first in Nigeria to pass an appropriation bill into law for the next fiscal year.
It is worth noting that some Nigerian Governors are yet to present the 2017 budget for their respective states with less than 3 weeks left in the year. This often leads to lack of proper scrutiny by the legislative arm during the budget screening process.
Our purpose today is to sign the 2017 Budget that was passed by the Kaduna State House of Assembly on 1st December 2016. It is worth noting that our legislature is the first to pass an appropriation bill into law for the next fiscal year.
This feat is the product of hard and diligent policy work, and cooperation across the government. We signed the 2016 Budget on 22 December 2015. We have done better this year by presenting our draft estimates on 12th October and getting the 2017 Budget passed and signed faster. I hope that this marks the institutionalization in Kaduna State of a disciplined budget process that aligns the fiscal and calendar years.
You can access and download the Kaduna State 2017 signed budget here: http://mobp.kadgov.ng/highlight/994/