Nasarawa State House of Assembly has passed into second reading the 2024 budget of N199.9 billion presented by Governor Abdullahi Sule for consideration and approval.

Danladi Jatau, the Speaker of the House, announced the passage of the budget during the house proceedings in Lafia on Wednesday.

The speaker said that the budget, if finally passed into law, would bring speedy development, thereby improving the standard of living of the people of the state.

“I therefore commit the bill to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation to work on the bill and report back to the House on the 18th of December 2023,” he said.

He appreciated members for their positive contributions to the budget while calling for its sustenance.

The speaker assured of effective synergy with Mr Sule for the overall development of the state.

He directed the House standing Committee to start inviting the management of MDAs for their budget defence.

Mr Jatau also urged the management of MDAs to give their maximum support to the committees while defending their budgets.

Earlier, Suleiman Azara, the majority leader of the House, while giving the substance of the bill, said that the budget was tailored towards achieving economic growth and development in the state.

Mr Azara appreciated the governor for presenting the budget, saying that it was apt to improve the standard of living of the people of the state.

He said that the budget would also cushion the effects of socio-economic problems in the state.

The majority leader moved a motion for the bill to scale to second reading, which Luka Zhekaba, the minority leader of the House, seconded.

In their contributions, Muhammad Oyanki, the Deputy Speaker, Hajara Danyaro Ibrahim, Larry Ven-Bawa, Solomon Akwashiki, Onarigu Onah Kana, Peter Akwe and others commended Mr Sule for presenting the budget to improve the standard of living of the people.

They said it would boost health, education and other sectors of the economy, thereby improving the standard of living of the people of the state.

Mr Sule presented the N199.9 budget to the House for consideration and approval on December 1.

The governor tagged the proposal as a “Budget of renewed commitment”.

Mr Sule said his administration would continue to be anchored on transparency, accountability and the rule of law for the overall development of the state.

(NAN)