Gov. Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, on Wednesday presented an appropriation bill of N67.9 billion for the 2010 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.
He said that the budget, tagged “Budget of Strategic Adjustment,” represented a 12 per cent increase over the state’s 2009 budget.
Chime said that the recurrent expenditure was N30.1 billion, representing 44 per cent of the entire budget, while N37.7 billion was for capital expenditure, representing 56 per cent.
“The government expects a recurrent revenue of N36.6 billion to be realised through an aggressive internally generated revenue estimated at N6.62 billion and the state’s share of the federal revenue,” he said.
Chime said the 2010 budget would consolidate on the gains of the 2009 budget, the completion of ongoing projects and more involvement of the private sector in development activities.
“In the year 2010, our focus will revolve around completing ongoing projects and choosing those people-driven development programmes that are the priority needs of the various constituents,” he said.
On sectoral allocations, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure received the highest allocation of N12.6 billion, representing 33.5 per cent of the capital budget.
The governor said the allocation would take care of ongoing works on urban roads, as well as four rural roads covering 160km.
Other sectoral allocations, he said, included Education N3.6 billion, Health N2.3 billion and Water N2.7 billion and legislature N446 million.
Chime commended the good working relationship existing among the three arms of government in the state.
He said the collaboration was responsible for the successful developments so far recorded in the state.
The governor, however, appealed to the House of Assembly to give the appropriation bill a speedy consideration in order to allow its implementation to commence on schedule.
Receiving the bill, the Speaker, Mr. Eugene Odo, commended the state executive council for its effective implementation of the 2009 budget.
He pledged that the House would do its best to deliberate on the bill and ensure that it was passed without delay.
The ceremony was attended by many dignitaries, including members of the state executive council, the judiciary, leaders of various political parties, traditional rulers, captains of industry and civil society groups.
Meanwhile, the state government has received a credit line of $40 million (about N6 billion) from the Export/Import Bank of India.
Chime of Enugu State, who announced this on Wednesday in Enugu during the 2010 budget presentation to State House of Assembly, said the fund would be used for electricity projects in 96 communities in the state.
According to him, the loan will be used to build new electricity projects in 49 communities that previously enjoyed none and extend existing networks in another 47 communities.
Chime said that N5.23 billion would be spent on rural electrification as part of measures to boost industrialisation and enhance socio-economic development in the state.
On Agriculture, Chime said that in order to make the state self-reliant in food production, N992 million was allocated to the sector, with emphasis on agricultural inputs and mechanised farming.
“It will also involve the rehabilitation of existing community farms and the designation of new ones across the 17 local government areas.
“With this bold step, government will address the perennial problem of low utilisation of farmlands and encourage communities to produce food and cash crops where they have comparative advantage,” Chime said.
He said the state agricultural development agency would receive N234.2 million to enable it strengthen its agricultural extension services.
Chime said N171 million was budgeted for the State College of Agriculture and Agro-Entrepreneurship at Iwollo to enable it to meet the manpower needs of the agricultural sector.
The governor said that N3.63 billion was allocated to the education sector, including the Ministry of Education, the State Universal Basic Education Board and the Post-Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).
He said the allocation would also cover the State University of Technology, the Institute of Management and Technology, the College of Education (Technical) and the State Science/Vocational Schools Management Board.
He said that 18 new secondary schools would be constructed, while 150 public schools and 34 demonstration schools would be rehabilitated.
Source: Vanguard
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