The Zamfara State House of Assembly on Thursday considered the general principles of 2021 appropriation amendment bill that sought to cut the budget by N16bn.
This was contained in a statement by the Director-General, Press Affairs and Public Relations of the House, Mustafa Kaura, made available to our correspondent on Thursday.
Kaura said followed an executive request sent to the House by Governor Bello Matawallen via a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe.
The letter, according to Kaura, was read on the floor of the House by the Speaker, Nasiru Magarya.
The statement said, “Magarya informed his colleagues that owing to security challenges facing the state and dwindling economic fortunes of Zamfara as at present time, the government of the state cannot carry on with the huge budget deficit hence the need to downsise it by about N16bn.”
According to Kaura, the leader of the House, Faruk Dosara, called on the attention of his colleagues to give the executive request an accelerated hearing and subsequent passage into law, going by the exigency of the bill.
Dosara was quoted to have said, “Since the budget was passed by this House early year, it is not out of place to review the budget downward knowing fully that the state is now operating IPSAS compliance budget.”
In his contribution, a member representing Maru North, Yusuf Kanoma said, “The 2021 revised budget is not in any way different from what happened in 2020 budget when the House deliberated and cut down last year’s budget due to covid-19 pandemic.”
He then urged his colleagues to give the executive request a speedy passage to allow the state government continue with its laudable policies and programmes.
In his ruling, Magarya while commending his colleagues for the maturity shown in the entire deliberation process, ordered that the bill be given first and second reading.
