The Kaduna State House of Assembly has withheld approval of the 2026 appropriation bill submitted by Soba Local Government Area, directing the council to revise the document following concerns raised during legislative scrutiny.
The decision was taken on Tuesday during the council’s budget defence before the House Committee on Appropriation and Implementation. Lawmakers cited irregularities and inconsistencies in the figures presented, stating that the proposal could not proceed to harmonisation in its current form.
Chairman of the committee, Yunusa Shehu-Pambegua, said the discrepancies identified in the draft budget required correction prior to consideration for passage.
In his presentation, the Chairman of Soba Local Government Area, Mohammed Lawal-Shehu, linked the inconsistencies to salary adjustments recorded within the fiscal year under review. He stated that while the approved budget for the outgoing year stood at over ₦4 billion, actual budget performance exceeded ₦7 billion.
Lawal-Shehu further informed the committee that the proposed 2026 budget is in excess of ₦6 billion, indicating a reduction when compared with the previous year’s performance figure.
During deliberations, Deputy Chief Whip and committee member, Mahmood Sama’ila, called on the council to rework the document to ensure compliance with established budgetary guidelines.
The committee subsequently resolved that the proposal be returned to the council for corrections before it is brought back to the Assembly for harmonisation and possible approval.
