YOBE State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has presented a N320.81 billion budget for 2025 financial year to the state House of Assembly

According to the governor, the 2025 budget would seek to entrench a policy of completing all ongoing capital projects, before embarking on new ones.

Presenting the appropriation bill to the legislators on Friday in Damaturu, Buni said: “Our watchword would remain the strict adherence to due process and transparency to enable the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) adhere to budgetary provisions.”

He added that measures to block financial leakages would be put in place to woo investors, and turnaround the state’s economic fortunes.

The appropriation bill tagged: “Budget of Economic Consolidation and Poverty Reduction,” earmarked N176.8 billion for capital expenditure, while recurrent expenditure will gulp N144 billion.

He noted that the state’s budget proposal increased by 47.8 per cent compared to the 2024 appropriation bill of N217 billion.

On sectoral budgetary allocations, he stated that the economic sector took the lion’s share of N157 billion.

His words: “More solar-powered boreholes would be drilled and water reticulation improved with new pipelines in Damaturu, the state capital and four other towns.

“We would also commence work on the Damaturu Green Economic City, and intensify efforts by providing and rehabilitating facilities at the Nasari, Gurjaje and Bade-Gana Livestock Development Centres.”

According to him, the Social and Administration sectors of the economy were earmarked N108.5 billion and N50.5 billion respectively to provide better service delivery to the people.

While receiving the budget proposal, the Speaker, Chiroma Buba Mashio assured that it will be passed within a short period for implementation to reduce poverty and unemployment among youths.

Mashio, therefore, urged Buni to boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenues (IGR).