By Hamidu Isa Alkaleri
 
The Gombe State House of Assembly has given its approval to the state’s 2025 budget, setting the total expenditure at N369.9 billion on Tuesday. 
 
This represents a significant increase of N49.8 billion from the initial proposal of N320.1 billion submitted by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
 
The approval was reached after the House Committee on Appropriation presented its report and recommendations during a plenary session on Monday. 
 
Hon. Aliyu Baba Manu, the committee’s chairman, explained that the adjustments were made after rigorous budget defence sessions with various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). 
 
“We made significant adjustments, particularly in capital receipts, which we increased by N42 billion,” Manu said. 
 
“This additional funding will be channelled primarily towards the State Urban Renewal, Water, Agriculture, and Health (SURWAAH) program.”
 
The committee also revised the internal revenue projection upwards by N639.5 million.
 
In terms of sectoral allocations, the economic sector, which focuses on capital projects, received the lion’s share, with N178.4 billion allocated, constituting 70.3% of the total budget. 
 
The social sector secured N62.1 billion (24.5%), while the administrative and law and justice sectors received N9.5 billion (3.7%) and N3.9 billion (1.5%), respectively. 
 
Following a detailed clause-by-clause review, the Speaker, Hon. Abubakar Mohammed Luggerewo, led the House in the third reading and subsequent passage of the appropriation bill into law.