The Taraba State Government says it has allocated N4.7 billion for pension and gratuities in the 2022 budget to address the plight of the retired civil servants in the state.
This is contained in the text of the 2022 budget briefing by the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Solomon Elisha, in Jalingo, on Monday.
In the 2022 budget recently signed into law by Governor Darius Ishaku, the office of the Accountant General was allocated the highest share of N16.1bn for debt servicing and consultancy, followed by the Office of the Governor with N11.3bn, while the Taraba Sports Council got the least estimate of N31 million.
The Taraba State House of Assembly, Ministry of Budget and that of Water Resources got N5billion each, while that of Works and Housing was allocated N4billion.
Transport and Aviation, Agriculture, High Court of Justice, Ministry of Women Affairs and the Taraba State University got N4billion each, while the Post Primary Schools Management Board got N6billion.
An economist, Terna Phillips, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the state needed to invest more on infrastructural development like roads, water, health care delivery, agriculture and mineral sub-sectors to boost the economy of the state.
Phillips said, “Taraba is a poor state that needs not be poor given the huge potentials available in the state. The state has a good climate for production of virtually every crop.
“Good investment in road construction, agriculture and social justice that would see sustainable peace return into the state, among others, can transform the state into investors destination in Nigeria.”
(NAN).
