By Shaagba Iorzua in Jalingo.

Taraba state government says plan have been concluded to slash the state’s 2020 budget which was passed into law by the state house of assembly in February. 
State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Hon. Solomon Elisha disclosed this to newsmen in Jalingo.
 He said the downward review of the budget was occasioned by the global effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Elisha said the 2020 budget of N215.8 billion which has since been signed into law by the state government was predicated on certain macroeconomic expectations.
“It is imperative to remind you that the 2020 budget was base on the daily crude oil output of 2.1 million  barrels, at 56.50 dollars per barrel, and at the exchange rate of 305 naira to the US dollar, ” he said. 
“You will however agree that with the current predicament, following the outbreak of the Coronavirus, our budget expectations have been rendered unrealistic and ineffective
“The daily crude oil production of the country is now less than a million barrel, the crude oil price has also plummeted to an all time low from over 56 US dollars to be fluctuating between 20 to 30 US dollar,” he added.
He said the recent development has made Darius Ishaku led administration approve a downward review of the 2020 budget.