Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has presented a total budget estimate of N258.27 billion to the State House of Assembly with a pledge that the government will Mobilize private sector investments in the state.
The governor described the budget as “The budget of consolidation and continuity for inclusive growth,” with the Recurrent Expenditure of N145,736,429,609:00 representing 56.43% and Capital Expenditure of N112,542,071,730:00 representing 43.57%.
While presenting the 2024 draft Budget to the State House of Assembly for consideration and approval at the hallow chamber of the Assembly in Lokoja, Governor Yahaya Bello said that the total Budget package for year 2024 is N258,278,501,339:00 with an increment of N60,678,826,427:00 which represented 30.71% when compared with the approved reviewed Budget for year 2023 which was N197,599,674,912:00.
Speaking on the total estimated recurrent revenue for the 2024 Budget, the Governor said “The recurrent Revenue for the year 2024 stands at N168,406,138,861:00 consisting of N30,235,332,685:00 from internal sources while N85,650,179,027 will come from statutory allocation from the Federation Account among others.
“The estimated Personnel Cost, Overhead Cost and Public Debt Charges for the same period stand at N65,071,493,479:00, N56,693,794,550:00, N8,871,141,580:00 and N15,100,000,000:00 respectively, putting the total recurrent expenditure for 2024 at N145,736,429,609:00.”
Governor Yahaya Bello who presented his last budget as the Executive Governor of Kogi State, stated that the 2024 draft budget was drafted to enhance Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), aggressive pursuit of repayment of debt owed the state by the federal government.
He said that the budget would also provide more conducive environment for the state’s development partners across the world to enable them contribute to the state economy.
“The 2024 is also expected to mobilize private sector investments to the state, encourage Public – Private – Partnership (PPP) and also blocked all wastages and leakages in our revenue as well as completion of all ongoing projects/programmes while new ones will be provided in line with the priorities of the New Direction Administration.
“The budget will focus on continued provision of physical infrastructure, human capital development, job creation, wealth creation and poverty reduction in Kogi State. These will be achieved through prudent use of resources and scaling up of our expenditures in the areas of health, education, agriculture, water resources, environment, housing and support for women and youth empowerment programmes.”
The Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Aliyu Umar Yusuf, in his welcome address, applauded the effort of Governor Yahaya Bello for been able to developed a comprehensive blueprint for the new phase of the state’s development.
He assured the people of the state that the executive would enjoy the necessary legislative support to ensure the strategic objectives of the new administration are achieved in the interest and benefits of the State.
“The parliament, without any shred of doubt, plays critical roles in shaping the fiscal curve of the state and I want to further assure you that this Assembly is committed to supporting the executive arm to achieve improved economy for Kogi State in the years to come.”

Former veteran newscaster at the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Aisha Bello Mustapha is dead. She died in the early hours of today, December 11, after a brief illness in Abuja.
A friend of the bereaved family, Zainab Sabo, confirmed the news to BBC Pidgin today,.
“It’s true that Mama (Aisha) has died and her funeral prayer will be held at 1:00 pm (December 11). We will really miss her and pray for God to bless her soul,” Sabo said.
Aisha Bello Mustapha, born in the early 80’s, was a familiar face on NTA Network News in the 90’s and early 2000’s.
During her 35-year period at NTA, Aisha Bello Mustapha rose from Assistant Director of News to General Manager of NTA Parliament. She retired from NTA in May 2022.
Aisha Bello Mustapha earned a bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications/Media Studies from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria inKaduna State.

All the 109 Nigerian Senators have resolved to donate their December salaries, amounting to N109 million to victims of the December 3 military drone mishap in Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The military drone operation mistakenly killed 85 civilians who gathered for a religious celebration in the community.
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Deputy President of Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, in the person of Ismail Mudashir,
announced the donation today, December 10, in Abuja.
He said that Senator Barau announced the donation at the Kaduna State Government House when he led a Senate delegation to commiserate with the state government and the people of the State.
Mudashir quoted Barau as saying that the money would be sent to Governors Uba Sani, who received the delegation, for onward delivery to the victims.
He said that Governor Sani thanked the senators for their kind gesture.
Mudashir listed the delegation to include the Majority leader, Senator Micheal Bamidele; the Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume; Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro and the Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Kamorudeen Olalere.
Others were Senator Abdulhamid Malam-Madori, Senator Aliyu Bilbis, Senator Ibrahim Bomoi, Senator Ibrahim Lamido, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, Senator Victor Umeh, Senator Muntari Dandutse, Senator Lawal Usman and Senator Emmanuel Udende.
Mudashir said that the senators also visited the Barau Dikko Hospital where survivors of the accident were receiving treatment.
Source: NAN.

The chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on University Education, Abubakar Hassan Fulata, has said that it was not the House Speaker that spoke, and he did not speak on behalf of him or his colleagues on the issue of removal of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) in the nation’s tertiary institutions.
He said that he simply expressed a personal opinion on the matter when he spoke at the 3rd International Conference of the Gender Policy Unit, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, on Wednesday, December 6, 2023.
“Unfortunately, the media attributed my opinion on the need to remove tertiary institutions from IPPIS to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D.
“I want to make it categorically clear that I spoke in my personal capacity as a member of the House of Representatives. “Therefore, my opinion on IPPIS remains mine and not that of the Speaker or any other member of the House for that matter.
“Let me restate that as a member of the House, I am determined to work with my colleagues to improve the welfare of teachers in our tertiary institutions through additional budgetary allocations.
“I shall also work with my colleagues to make sure that education receives a substantial portion of the national budget to meet the United Nations requirement of 26 percent of the national budget.
“Let the media be guided and always attribute comments to appropriate sources.”

The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio has affirmed that his mother, late Mrs. Lucy Akpabio was the one who groomed him and instilled strong moral values which has shaped his character and helped him navigate through life.
The Senate President, speaking on the occasion of his 61st birthday celebration yesterday, December 9, 2023 in Uyo, said that it was the strong moral values his late mother instilled in him that has kept up the drive in him to lead a exemplary life.
He recounted how he lost his father while he was just six months old, and how his mother took up the enormous task of catering for him and striving to provide all he needed to stand tall.
Senator Akpabio who is also the former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, expressed gratitude to his mother who doed in the year 2000, for not just taking the onerous task of raising him without a father, but ensuring that she taught him to understand the value of integrity, dedication, hardwork, and friendliness, stressing that those values have remained guiding stars to him.
He also thanked his wife, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio for her unwavering support, and his siblings for always keeping a close family tie that have paved ways for many good things to come his way.
Many dignitaries, including the wife of the President of Nigeria, Pastor Oluremi Tinubu, eulogized the starling leadership qualities of Senator Akpabio and wished him a glorious new year ahead.
Speaking shortly after the official cutting of the Senate President’s birthday cake, Oluremi Tinubu described Senator Akpabio as: “an extraordinary and uncommon man in our generation.”
According to her, Senator Akpabio’s commitment to serving Nigeria diligently has stood him out as a patriot who is committed to the principles of accountability, transparency and unity.
“It is my pleasure to be here today to celebrate the 61st Birthday anniversary of an extraordinary man, uncommon in our generation. This occasion is not only a celebration but also an opportunity to reflect on the immense contributions he has made to Akwa Ibom state in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
“Senator Akpabio’s journey in public service from his early days as a lawyer to his tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom state and now as the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is worth mentioning. It is noteworthy that under his leadership Akwa Ibom State witnessed remarkable infrastructural development, improved health care services and educational opportunities.
“His administration focused on human capital development and poverty alleviation programmes that transformed the lives of many particularly the most vulnerable in the society.
“Senator Akpabio has continued to serve our nation diligently in the Senate. As the Senate president he has displayed exemplary Leadership, fostered unity, and promoted the interest of many Nigerians. May this day be filled with joy and I pray that you celebrate many more birthdays in good health, peace and happiness.”
The president’s wife hailed members of the national assembly for cooperating with senate president to provide effective legislation and support to the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidency.
She also thanked Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno and the political class in Akwa Ibom State for working in unison with the senate and the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration at the federal level.
“All the other states that they call opposition, if I come to your state to work, no one can stop me because I will do the work. Nigerians deserve that. We have a programme for the elderly coming up and all the Governors wives to know that they were supposed to be involved. “We want to give financial assistance to 250 elderly people per State. Politics is over they should allow us to govern the people.”