Taraba State Lawmakers have passed the 2023 budget to the tune of over N173 billions.
This comes less than two weeks after the Taraba state governor, Darius Ishaku presented the 2023 estimated budget to the State House of Assembly,
The budget which was earlier pegged at N172, 734, 537,459.40 by the governor, was observed to have been Jacked up by N500 Million.
Following the passage of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation during plenary on Wednesday, the measure was observed.
Responding to inquiries from journalists shortly after the approval, the speaker, Joseph Albasu Kunini, said the increase was required to keep the State Independent Electoral Commission, SIEC, running.
The speaker, who noted that the budget had been enhanced by N500 million, pointed out that no funds had been provided to SIEC in the budget previously presented to the House by the governor.
The additional money, as envisioned by the members, will enable the SIEC leadership to hold local government elections across the state’s sixteen local government councils.
The purpose of the accelerated adoption of the budget, which our correspondent saw was brought to the House only two weeks ago, according to the speaker, was to allow the administration to proceed with its development programs.
Also mentioning the upcoming Yuletide, he stated that this has become necessary in order for the members to go on recess.
