FG disburses N66.5b to states for 2020 budget compliance – The Federal Government has disbursed N66.5 billion (USD$175 million) to eligible states for the amended COVID-19 responsive 2020 budget results achievement.
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed stated this in a statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Mr. Hassan Dodo, yesterday in Abuja.
She explained that “the disbursement followed compliance with the Amended COVID-19 Responsive 2020 Budget by 35 eligible states”.
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Rivers State missed out on the grant because of its “inability to meet the eligibility criteria, which required the states to have passed and published online on a state’s website by July 31,2020 credible, fiscally responsible COVID-19 Responsive Amended 2020 Budgets duly approved by the State House of Assembly and assented to by the state governor”.
The minister was optimistic that the impressive “results by the 35 out of 36 states would further strengthen the national fiscal response to COVID-19 and align efforts at both the federal and state-levels”.
She noted that the World Bank-assisted SFTAS Programme is principally meant to strengthen fiscal management at the state level.
