Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Friday presented a budget estimate of N178,136,634,975.38 for 2020 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.
The 2020 Appropriation bill which is captioned “Budget of Growth, Consolidation and Transformation” placed a priority on critical on-going projects across the State.
According to the Governor: “Spending on a Capital budget has been prioritised in favour of critical on-going projects.
A look at the budget proposal shows that Health, Education, Works, Security, Infrastructure, Agriculture and Human Capital Development and Commerce and Industry will be accorded priority in this 2020 budget.
“While Works and Infrastructure for Concession will receive a total of Fifty Four Billion, One Hundred and Twenty Five Million and Eighty-Three Thousand, Four Hundred and Sixty-Eight Naira, Forty-Eight Kobo (N54,125,083,468.48) or 30.38 per cent of the total budget sum.
“Education will receive a total of Twenty Seven Billion, and Ninety-Seven Million, Two Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand, Three Hundred and Eighty-Eight Naira Sixty Nine Kobo (N27,097,262,388.69) or 15.21 per cent of the total budget sum.
“Similarly, Health will receive a total of Fifteen Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty-Six Million, Five Hundred and Forty-One Thousand Six Hundred and Three Naira Eighty-Five Kobo (N15,466,541,603.85) or 8.68% of the total budget.
“Human Capital Development and Commerce and Industry will jointly receive the sum of Eight Billion and Sixteen Million, Eighty-Eight Thousand Three Hundred and Twenty Four Naira Seventy (N 8,016,088,324.70) or 4.50 per cent of the total sum.
Agriculture will receive Three Billion, Seven Hundred and Sixty Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ten Naira Sixty Five (N3,769,742,710.65) or 2.13 per cent of the budget.
“Security will receive Two Billion, Six Hundred and Seventy-five Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N 2,675,500,000) or 1.5 per cent of the budget sum, making a total of One Hundred and Eleven Billion, One Hundred and Fifty Million, Two Hundred and Eighteen Thousand Four Hundred and Ninety-Six Naira Thirty-Seven Kobo (N 111,150,218,496.37) or 62.40 per cent of the budget sum allocated to the 6 critical sub-sectors.
“The recurrent expenditure of N46,080,516,990.04 is 25.87 per cent of the total budget while capital expenditure of N132,056,117,985.38 is 74.13% of the total budget.’
The Governor expressed hope that the 2020 budget estimate “will lift the economic development index of the state, consolidate on the gains of infrastructure and Human Capital Development and bring greater accomplishments in the transformation of this State.’
“Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me at this juncture state that the Divine Mandate under which we have made these accomplishments came by the power of God and so we fear no daunting challenges.”
