The Benue State House of Assembly, presided over by its Speaker, Hyacinth Dajo, on Monday, passed the 2025 appropriation bill of N550.1 billion.

Leading the debate during plenary in Makurdi, the chairman, House standing committee on appropriation, Cephas Dyako (LP/Konshisha), said that the total revenue projection of the 2025 proposed budget was N550.11 billion.

He said that the 2025 proposed estimates were higher than the 2024 supplementary approved estimates by N177.09 billion, which represented a 47.5 per cent increment over the 2024 revised and approved budget.

The chairman further said that the 2025 proposed recurrent expenditure was N175.41 billion, and it was divided into personnel costs of N80 billion and overhead of N95.39 billion, respectively.

He also said that the 2025 proposed capital expenditure was N374.70 billion.

“In spite of previous resolutions of the House against’ extra-budgetary expenditures, some ministries, departments, and agencies still indulge in the unconstitutional act,” he said.

In his contribution to the debate, William Ortyom (PDP/Agasha) commended the committee for working on the budget speedily.

Mr Ortyom, however, said that he was not comfortable with the allocation of estimates to the newly created Bureau of Special Project and Infrastructure to the tune of N79 billion, adding that the House needed to know the mandate of the bureau.

He also said that there was no release for the ministry of humanitarian affairs, same as the scholarship board.

Douglas Akya (APC/Makurdi South) urged the House to pass the budget speedily.

The Clerk of the House, John Hwande, read the appropriation bill for the third time.

Ruling, the Speaker, Mr Dajo, advised the director-general of economic planning, Dr Jerome Andohol, to submit the budget early enough to allow members to take their time to work on it.

(NAN)