Gov. Buni Signs 2025 Budget into Law
…Assures Transparency and Accountability in Govt. Business
By Muhammad Maitela, Damaturu
Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni has signed the state’s 2025 Appropriation Bill into law with a promise to complete all ongoing projects and initiate new ones.
“This administration is committed to judicious use and investment of our resources into people oriented programmes and projects, especially, education, healthcare delivery, agriculture, infrastructural development, wealth creation, and empowerment to stimulate economic growth.
“We have identified and mapped out some rich agricultural, livestock and other natural potentials for international investment to generate employment opportunities and wealth creation. We have commenced discussions with reputable local and international organisations to harness these potentials,” he said.
Buni warned supervising engineers for government projects not to compromise.
“Let me seize this opportunity to draw the attention of all the supervising engineers attached to government projects, your attachment to these projects is to protect government interest.
“You must ensure that every project is executed in strict compliance to specifications and other contractual agreements.
“I will support you, and stand with you to execute your duties effectively and efficiently. However, if you fail in your responsibilities, Government would not hesitate to engage external supervising engineers to ensure quality execution of our projects for the government to get value for its money.”
The governor directed the Project Monitoring Committee under Engr. Zaji Bunu to ensure the completion of all projects on schedule and in strict compliance with contractual agreements.
Buni also charged the Bureau of Public Procurement to undertake “clinical diagnosis of contractual biddings and to patronise only competent contractors with the capacity, technical know-how and other required prerequisites”.
He assured that the state government would continue to sustain accountability and transparency as it has been doing, and which earned it recognition by the World Bank’s State Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability (SIFTAS) programme.
“I am optimistic that the new leadership of the State Fiscal Responsibility Commission, and the Board of Internal Revenue, would both work towards enhancing accountability and prudence in revenue generation and government expenditure to promote good governance and efficient service delivery to the people” he added.
The governor charged the new Chairman Board of Internal Revenue, Alhaji Suleiman Bakura, to work towards improving revenue generation, block leakages and ensure remittance of all revenues collected into government coffers.
Buni also charged the new Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Babayo Umar, to key into government efforts to advance basic education through qualitative teaching and learning, provision of instructional materials and conducive environment.
“You should ensure effective monitoring and supervision in the schools, and the execution of all projects awarded by the board,” he added.
The Syndicate reports that the governor launched the distribution of N50 million cash grant and start-up kits to 500 graduates of a skills acquisition training conducted by Yobe State Emergency Management Agency and United Nations Development Programme.
The beneficiaries were trained in the production of soap, detergent, charcoal, shoes and disinfectants.
Each beneficiary received a cash grant of N100,000 and start-up kit.
