Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has signed the revised 2020 budget for the state into law.
The signing ceremony which held at Council Chambers, Government House Katsina was witnessed by the leadership of the State House of Assembly led by the speaker,A lhaji Tasi’u Maigari Musa Zango
The Governor also recalled that the review was necessitated by the fall in national revenue occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He explained that the budget was slashed from N244 billion to N213 billion in line with the fluctuations in the global crude oil market.
He said”the budget review was based on an oil benchmark of $30 per barrel as against the pre-review benchmark of $57 per barrel”
”The downward review mostly affected recurrent expenditure but the state government was determined to complete ongoing capital projects in key sectors as contained in the budget”
The governor urged stakeholders to actively participate in the fight against Covid-19 and redouble efforts at curbing community transmission of the virus which has accounted for most cases in the state.
Earlier, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Tasiu Maigari said the legislature passed the 2020 Budget Review Bill in less than two weeks for prompt implementation.
He explained that provision was made to cover the fight against Covid-19 in the revised budget for government to take care of emergency infectious diseases in the state.
The commissioners of Finance and that of Budget, Alhaji Kasimu Abdul Mutallab and Alhaji Faruk Lawal Jobe also witnessed the signing of the revised budget on behalf of members of the state executive