Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State
By Akanji Alowolodu, Gombe
Though it refused to disclose the size of the 2022 budget proposal, Gombe State Government has disclosed that it has added the sum of over N771m to an ongoing road construction in Funakaye LGA which will be captured in the proposed estimate.
According to the Commissioner of Information and Culture, Julius Ishaya Lepes the addition is for additional work for the construction of a three span bridge instead of culverts on kwanar Gogaru – Almakashi – Jagabari to Kuka Bakwai road as the culverts could not stand the test of time.
According to him, the addition has now jerked up the entire road project cost to over N2.839 billion in order to have a quality job that will last for a long time considering the importance of the said road.
The road construction is a joint project between Funakaye LG which is bearing 40% of the cost while the State Government is handling 60% of the cost.
The Commissioner who briefed Journalists shortly after a special State Executive Council meeting held on Monday said that the 2022 appropriation will only entertain what the people of the State have sat down to demand from Government.
Arising from the State Executive Council Meeting, the State Government reiterated its commitment to provide a people oriented budget that will have no place for White elephant projects.
He also said that the Council had observed and made corrections where necessary on the proposed budget which will be presented to the State House of Assembly on Thursday 11th November, 2021.
While avoiding the total amount to be presented, he assured the people of Gombe State that the proposal is not going to be different from the inputs made by the stakeholders.
According to him, “The budget is going to be a reflection of what the people want. It will be transparent, all inclusive, avoid white elephant projects and will be guided by this administration’s principle of public spending”.
He said the council also approved an additional N771,846,000 for an ongoing road project in Funakaye Local Government Area of the State.
It will be recalled that the State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, had last week at a town hall meeting with representatives of different communities lambasted the immediate past administration in the State for wasting billions of Naira on projects that have no bearing on the ordinary man in the rural areas.
