Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has signed the N289,633,257,693 Appropriation Bill of the state government for year 2023.
The Appropriation Act shows an increase of one billion naira above the N288,633,257,693 budget estimates presented by the governor to the State House of Assembly last November for consideration and passage.
During the signing ceremony in Government House Katsina yesterday, Gov. Masari said it marked the beginning of the end of his tenure as governor of the state since his administration will operate the budget for only five months before its expiration.
The governor, who scored the performance his government high despite its inability to meet any of its revenue projections since 2015 for many reasons, said the government made “some meaningful progress in terms of infrastructure across the state.”
He however dismissed the campaign promise of former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, that if elected he (Atiku) would reopen the national international borders to food and other essential items importation.
Apparently responding to the statement made by Atiku during his December 22, 2022, campaign rally in Katsina, Masari who made no mention of Atiku or the party, described President Muhammad Buhari policy to to halt import of food and several items into the country as a mark of good foresight and courage in governance.
“The foresight of our President who insisted right from beginning that we produce what we eat and must eat what we produce helped greatly in addressing the issue of falling revenue. I don’t know what this country would have done without the policy,” said Masari.
He added: “We appeal to fellow Nigerians to understand that leadership is about taking responsibilities; it’s about taking unpopular decision of today that will be meaningful and beneficial tomorrow.
“Leaders are supposed to have foresight and vision, that is what our leader has demonstrated in some of his fiscal policies that helped the country in coming out of recession in record time within the period of four years.”
