Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, on Tuesday, presented a budget of N213.9billion to the State Assembly for the 2021 fiscal year for consideration and passage.

This figure is N46.69 bn higher than the N167 billion budgeted for 2020 which was later reduced to N129.8 bn due to dwindling oil revenues occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mohammed had on 9th November, 2020, signed a supplementary budget of N42.8 bn which was earlier passed by the Assembly on Friday, 6th November, 2020.

He said the 2021 budget, christened: “Budget of Consolidation” is made up of capital expenditure of N120.7bn while the recurrent expenditure is made up of N93. 197bn.

According to him, the capital expenditure represents 56 per cent of the total budget while the recurrent expenditure represents 44 per cent.

He said, “This year’s budget is higher because it was prepared in such a way that projects and programmes captured will most likely be implemented. We have focused our attention on projects that are strategic for the development of the state.”

In a speech, the Speaker of the Assembly, Abubakar Suleiman, expressed optimism that the budget presented by the governor will go a long way in further improving the living standard of the people of the State.