By Moses Gbande
The Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP has described the State Appropriation Bill passed by the State House of Assembly and recently signed into law by Governor Simon Lalong as nothing but a systematic aggregation of corrupt estimates aimed at swindling the state even as the administration sets to wind up.
A statement by the Spokesman of the party in the state, Hon. John T. Akans on Monday stated that it was obvious that the 2022 budget was designed to loot the state resources as well as to served the interest of the Governor and those the party described as “desperate cronies”.
The PDP said that the 2022 budget, like the previous ones since 2016, has failed to give a clear road map on how to pull the economy of the state out of its current slump and restore it to the path of growth.
According to the party, the budget has also failed completely to address the current economic and infrastructural issues of the state and lacked economic direction for a turnaround of the system. “For instance, the Governor has failed to tell us how the budget intends to finance the #18b British American Junction flyover as it is not even captured in the document.
“The budget did not also spelt out how the government intent to rebuild the Jos main market and the zaria road stadium and above all, how the overall budget intent to boost public consumption.
“Neither did the budget lay down a road map to bring in investment in the state. Governor Lalong deliberately read out a long speech to obfuscate the people”
The PDP is equally appalled that the budget did not address the issue of insecurity and food crisis while the tourism sector ( which Plateau State was known for but has collapsed) was allocated a paltry sum. The party further expressed its dismay wondering why there is no mention of employment generation plans in the budget, relief for the poor as earlier promised, instead, the Governor proposed 100 million for the renovation of his guest house and 700 million for the speaker and deputy speaker’s guest Houses.
The PDP said it will keep on monitoring the activities of the APC Government in the state and will equally continue raising alarm against policies that are anti people.
Nasarawa Reporters 