By Ahmad Umar
Gombe (Nigeria) – Gombe State government, northeast of the country, says it will spend N4.5 billion on  pension and gratuities in its 2018 appropriation.
Commissioner for Finance, Mohammed Hassan disclosed this in Gombe while giving an overview of the 2018 budget proposal tagged “Budget of Enhance Growth and Development”.
Hassan said the amount reflects an increase of 32% compared to the N2.551 billion budgeted in 2017, and that it happened because Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo was concerned with the welfare of retired workers.
A breakdown of the recurrent expenditure for 2018 showed that personnel cost including overhead cost, statutory office holders salaries, public debt charges, pension and gratuities will gulp N51.987 billion an increase of 13%.
On capital expenditures, the commissioner said N15.842 billion was released as at October 2017 out of the N40.744 billion appropriated, adding that N52.934 billion has been appropriated for 2018 fiscal year to cover capital expenditure which showed an increase of 183%
Hassan said spending on capital projects was increased in the 2018 fiscal year to enable government consolidate or complete all on going projects in some key sectors such as education which got a proposal of N19.290 billion, physical infrastructure N13.725 billion, health N9.667 billion, water and sanitation N5.12 billion.
A breakdown of recurrent and capital releases to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from January to October under the 2017 Appropriation Act, showed recurrent releases to MDAs under the 2017 budget was N34.624 billion.
He noted that, despite the series of financial challenges couple with the recession that the country went through last year, the state scored averagely in terms of budget performance and implementation.
“We will definitely complete all ongoing projects. Those that have been completed will be commissioned so that the people of Gombe state can benefit from them.”
The Commissioner said most of the projects executed by the Dankwambo administration and those inherited from past administration will be commissioned this year, while government will also continue to consolidate on the achievements recorded in the previous budgets.
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2017/10/22/news/nigeria-retirees-call-for-review-of-pensions/
