Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu has presented 2025 state’s appropriation bill amounting to N526 882,142,484.39.
This was announced through a statement released by the Press Secretary to the state Governor, Abubakar Bawa on Friday, obtained by THISDAY.
In a related development, Governor Aliyu also declared his administration has not borrowed a dime from any financial institution to execute the myriads of developmental projects and is not owing any contractor.
The governor gave this hint while presenting the 2025 Appropriation Bill before the state legislature. His words: “Since we came on board, we have executed a number of projects in line with our 9-point agenda without taking loan from any financial institution.
“So, also my administration is not owing any contractor executing projects in the state.”
The 2025 budget tagged – “Transformation and Infrastructural Sustainability Budget” – prioritises developmental projects in the coming year.
The breakdown of the budget indicates that capital expenditure gulped N349,386 540,354.25, while recurrent expenditure stood at N176,295,602 130.14.
Gov. Aliyu said his administration would continue to emphasise infrastructural development in the state.
He also said during the year under review, his administration had executed numerous people-oriented projects across the state in line with his Nine-point Smart Agenda.
On the security challenges facing the state, the governor said over 130 patrol vehicles were procured and distributed to the security agencies in the state to checkmate the nefarious activities of bandits in the state.
He further said the state government has also set up a Community Guard Corps, providing them with 40 patrol vehicles and 700 motorcycles, in addition to securing office accommodation for them at state and local government levels.
On the issue of promoting Islamic affairs, he said the present administration had constructed and renovated many Mosques, and provided them with boreholes, carpets as well solar systems for the comfort of the worshippers.
He added: “We have also introduced monthly cash allocation to 87 Juma’at Mosques, amounting to N32,000,000 monthly.”
“We also gave food and cash assistance to the Imams, Deputy Imams and Muazzins as well as Malaman Zaure and grassroots preachers across the states.
“We have also re-introduced the State Hisbah Board, and equipped it with operational vehicles and office accommodation in order to address moral decadence and social vices in our society.”
Gov. Aliyu also said that during the year under review, his administration had constructed and laid asphalt on over 30 township roads, which were commissioned, while an additional 40 road projects have reached an advanced stage of completion.
On the housing sector, the governor said currently, 1000 houses are under construction in Gidan Salanke and Wajake, adding that his administration had also purchased 137 housing units built by the federal government in the Kwannawa area
Gov. Aliyu assured people of the state of his administration’s commitment to make Sokoto better and appealed for support from all and sundry in that direction.
He commended the cordial relationship existing between the legislature and the executive arm, which he said, led to the successes so far recorded
The governor said his administration mobilises contractors to sites with 30 -50 per cent down payment and subsequently pays them as the work progresses.
According to him, once a contractor is certified to have completed the job, he receives the bank the alert of his balance immediately without lobbying the ministry of finance.
His words: “We have put in place an effective, prudent, and transparent financial system that enables us to achieve these numerous successes without taking loans.”
While giving the scorecard of his administration in the year under review, Governor Aliyu said his administration inherited N15 billion unpaid gratuities, which is now gradually being cleared.
He disclosed that his government pays N500 million monthly towards settling the backlog of gratuity and has earmarked N300 million monthly to pay those retiring during his tenure.
“We are doing that so that by the time we complete our tenure, all our retirees would have been paid their gratuity,” he explained.
On the issue of urban renewal, Governor Aliyu said Sokoto City is now wearing a new look, bringing it at par with its contemporaries around the world.
According to the governor, the city is also very neat, with solar-powered street lights installed across the 23 local government areas of the state.
Other projects executed by the Aliyu administration include the distribution of an array of palliatives and other financial support to the people of the state as part of measures to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
Governor Aliyu said that the state government also purchased 110 mass transit buses and taxi cabs for intra and intercity services.
This, he said, was in addition to the 46 buses procured for Inter-local governments transportation.
He said that the government purchased 1000 motorcycles and 500 tricycles to be sold at subsidised rate to ease routine movements across the state.
The governor called on the people of the state to continue to rally round the present administration for it to continue with its good work.
Onuminya Innocent
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