Kaduna Assembly begins legislative process on 2018 draft budget estimates

October 18, 2017 Amaka Chimezie

The Kaduna State House of Assembly has began it’s Legislative process on the 2018 Budget Estimates which was presented to the House by the State Governor Mal. Nasir El-Rufai on Thursday 13th October, 2017.

This is contained in a highlight which was read by the Majority Leader of the House, Muhammad Inuwa (Doka/Gabasawa constituency).

The estimates which include both the estimated revenues and expenditures of 216.5 billion naira has recurrent expenditure of 85.4 billion naira and capital expenditure of 131.1 billion naira respectively.

Contributions from members during the plenary indicates that the budget was very straight forward but for fine tuning to be done at the committee level.

The members stressed that since the State Government is ready to put more efforts internally, it also requires more support from the legislative arm for the betterment of the state.

Meanwhile the House moved to amend the Kaduna State Aids Control Agency (KADSACA) Law No. 6 of 2010 which was abolished by the Kaduna State Aids Control Agency to control the pandemic of HIV and AIDS in the state.

Under the Law, the supervision of the Agency is under the office of the governor. Governor and deputy Governor were named the Chairman and deputy Chairman of both the governing board of the Agency and the State Council on Aids.

“I am happy to bring to the knowledge of the Hon. House that from the inception of the Agency in 2010, huge success has been recorded in the fight against HIV and AIDS in the State with reduction in the prevalence rate from 11.6% in 2010 to 2.2% currently.”

As the Governor and his Deputy are always engaged in functions and activities both within and outside the state, it has become necessary to amend the Law to devolve the powers of the governor under the Law to the Commissioner of health and human services for a more effective supervision and control of the Agency.

The amended Law, the Governor and the deputy Governor have been replaced by the Commissioner of Health and Human services as Chairman of the governing board of the Agency. The State Council on Aids has been abolished and the membership of the governing board has been streamlined to make it more effective and result oriented.