Posted by Amarachi on Fri 29th Nov, 2024 - tori.ng
Governor Nwifuru said the budget was carefully prepared to guarantee industrialization, improved standard of living and overall economic growth of the state.
Gov Francis Nwifuru
Gov Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has presented the proposed ₦396 billion budget for the 2025 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.
Governor Nwifuru said the budget “Budget of Economic and Social Development” was carefully prepared to guarantee industrialization, improved standard of living and overall economic growth of the state.
According to a statement signed by his Chief Secretary, Monday Uzor, on Thursday, the budget of ₦396,589,009,620.00 (Three Hundred and Ninety-Six Billion, Five Hundred and Eighty-Nine Million, Nine Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Naira) is made up of five major sectors including Administration, Economic, Social, Regional, Law and Justice.
The Economic sector has the highest allocation of ₦200,132,170,000.00, followed by the Social sector with a total sum of ₦141,180,049,000.00; Administrative sector receives ₦50,947,640,620.00; Law and Justice, ₦4,143,650,000.00; while Regional Sector has the least allocation of ₦185,500,000.00.
“To lay the background for the future and restore the hitherto fading glory of public schools, our administration is currently embarking on establishment of 39 Model secondary schools and 39 Model Primary schools with modern learning and residential facilities across the 13 Local Government Areas of the State.
“We have reintroduced our domestic and foreign scholarship programmes, with a total of 1000 beneficiaries – while 700 are currently pursuing their Masters and PhD degrees locally and 300 beneficiaries are on foreign scholarship. This has cost the Government over ₦13 billion,” Nwifuru said.
In the area of Water and sanitation, Governor Nwifuru stated that his administration has committed enormous resources towards reviving all the moribund water schemes across the state, particularly the Oferekpe Water Scheme, expressing optimism that when completed and reticulated, the scheme will provide water to Izzi, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Ikwo, Ezza North and Ezza South local government areas.
“We are proud to inform Ebonyi people, that in furtherance of our desire to ensure full economic import of our Airport, part payment for the procurement of three Aircraft has been made, while supply processes are underway. We are expecting that the Aircraft will be on ground between December 2024 and 30th January 2025,” Ebonyi State Governor stated.
Other sectors prioritized in the budget include Health, Works, Commerce and Human Capital Development.