BY MUSA IDRIS UMAR
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has signed the 2025 appropriation bill of N615.8 billion into law.
The budget, initially presented to the State Assembly on December 9, 2024, as an estimate of N584.76 billion, was passed on December 24 with a N31 billion increase following deliberations by the house.
The signing ceremony took place on Monday at the State Government House Council Chamber, Maiduguri.
The governor, while assenting to the budget dubbed the 'Budget of Recovery and Continuity,' pledged to complete all outstanding projects promised during his 2023 election campaign.
'This year is very important for me because I want to complete all my promises I made during the 2023 electioneering campaigns,' he stated.
He instructed heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as members of the state executive council, to adhere strictly to the provisions of the approved budget when submitting memos for approval.
He also praised the leadership and members of the Borno State House of Assembly for their timely approval of the budget.
'We have to commend the leadership of the House of Assembly; we also have to commend the maturity of the House led by our able Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan,' he said.
'This is very important because all the developmental strides achieved could not have been possible without the full support and cooperation government received from the legislature.'
Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, commended the Governor for his leadership and the projects implemented across the state over the past six years.
Lawan explained that the upward revision of the appropriation bill was intended to incorporate critical, people-centered projects to be undertaken by MDAs.