The Kaduna State Commissioner of Budget and Planning Commission, Mohammed Sani-Abdullahi, said the state is targeting N150bn as internally generated revenue in the next two years.
Mr Abdullahi stated this in an interactive session with newsmen shortly after the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, signed into law the state’s 2022 Budget of N278.58bn at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna.
According to the Commissioner, this could be achieved by expanding the revenue base without increasing tax in the state.
The signed budget allocated N184.53bn to capital
Mr Abdullahi noted that with 25 per cent of the entire budget, education is getting the lion share while the health sector got 14 per cent.
The Commissioner also stated that the Urban Renewal Projects in Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan and other infrastructural projects were slated for completion in 2022.
This is just as he disclosed that the state would be launching a social investment programme with over N4 billion provided for the vulnerable people across the 23 local government areas of the state.
This, the Commissioner further stated, was to enable the government to intervene directly in the life of the people across the rural areas.
He said, “Our social protection programme is an area where the Governor is very passionate. We are ensuring that people at the bottom are getting something. Next year, it would not be below N24 billion because we are expanding our supports in the area through supplemental income.
“In the budget, N7.5 billion was budgeted for security in 2022 this includes support for federal government agencies and our vigilance service.
“In 2015, our internally generated revenue was N13 billion and our salary bill was N30 billion. Our target was to earn enough IGR to pay our workers which we have been able to do and yesterday the Governor announced 13th-month bonus for our workers.
“Our plan is for Kaduna State workers to earn one of the highest salaries in the country. We have been able to cover our salary bill from our IGR but we are halfway to covering our overhead costs as well and we are hoping to cover that in two years.
“Kaduna State would be self-sufficient in the next two-four years. Our projection is to raise a minimum of N150 billion yearly from the N45 to N50 billion that we are raising now.
“We are hoping to close down key infrastructure in the state including the urban renewal projects which are at finishing status in Kaduna while Zaria and Kafanchan are reaching significant status.
“Education is getting a huge chunk of the budget with over N4 billion slated for the salaries and wages of the 7,600 new teachers being recruited, pensions and gratuities. Power projects are planned together with Kaduna Power Supply Company.”
