COVID -19: FINTIRI ASKS ADHA TO REDUCE 2020 APPROVED BUDGET TO #140 BILLION

Against the backdrop of the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on health and the economic sectors in the society, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa has written to the House of Assembly, requesting it to reduce the approved #183 billion 2020 budget to#140 billion. 

According to Fintiri, his administration's decision to cut down the approved budget to #140 billion from #183 billion was necessitated by the dreaded Covid -19 pandemic which adversely affected the inflow of cash to the state from the Federation Account.

Governor Fintiri who stated this while presenting 35 Copies of the 2020 Reviewed Budget Estimates to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aminu Iya Abbas for consideration and subsequent approval, said that his government found it necessary to review the budget in line with current economic realities.

The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner Ministry of Finance, Hon. Dr. Ishaya Dabari, said that the government and its citizens are witnesses to the impact of the disease on the economy ranging from lockdowns, low federal allocation, closure of businesses and low Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He told the Honourable House that they reviewed the budget by 24 percent, explaining that the y have reviewed it from #183 billion to #140, removing #43billion.

According to him, the worst affected area is the over head cost, and that the personnel cost is not affected, saying that the overhead cost had been reduced by 43 percent, whereas capital expenditure is reduced by 20 percent.

He stated that the government had reviewed the laws of the Board of Internal Revenue as well as Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP)to enhance IGR, saying that they had also engaged some consultants in the informal sector in revenue generation.

Responding, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aminu Iya Abbas said that the hallowed chamber is aware of the current situation of the economy, saying that the government had taken serious measures towards containing it.

The Speaker added that that the pandemic affected not only the economy of the state or Nigeria, but globally, adding that the multiplier effect of the pandemic on the economic sector can be felt.

He observed that the effort by the government is to reflect the reality, saying that the effort is to reduce the budget down to enable the executive arm summon courage and implement it, assuring of the commitment of the house towards deliberating on it.