Benin, Edo State – Nigeria By Oladipo Airenakho.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State yesterday presented his 2015 budget proposal of N 156.551 billion to the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus of the State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Uyigue Igbe for approval.
Unlike last year when he addressed the lawmakers, representing the different political parties at the Edo State House of Assembly, named after Elder Statesman, Late Chief Anthony Enahoro on King’s Square in Benin City, there was a change in venue this time around.
Yesterday’s ceremony took place at the old legislative chamber of the State Government House where members of his ruling APC caucus of the Assembly have been holding their meetings, following the crisis that rocked the legislative body since June 9, 2014.
Alltimepost.com can confirm that members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus of the Assembly, led by their Speaker Honourable Festus Ebea were not in attendance at the presentation of the budget by the Governor.
The budget, christened “Budget of Developmental Consolidation”, the Governor said was aimed at taking the state to the next level.
Made up of N87.5 billion as capital expenditure, representing 55.77% and N68.99 billion as recurrent expenditure, representing 44.23%, the budget is N4 billion lower than the 2014 estimate which stood at N160.1 billion.
According to the Governor, the 2015 budget is designed to complete all on-going projects, inject new investments into key priority sectors of the administration’s program, including Roads Construction and Rehabilitation, Education, Health, Water, Rural Electrification Environmental Protection and Beautification.
The State Chief Executive Officer also said the budget would address job creation particularly through economic empowerment with emphasis on micro-credit to small and medium scale enterprises.
Project for mass housing, expanding the revenue base, creation of enabling environment for domestic and direct foreign investment and deepening of governance reforms, he stated would also come under government focus.
“The Budget is designed to achieve the consolidation of this administration’s developmental agenda and focus on key priority sector of government namely; infrastructure, Education and Health.’’
Comrade Oshiomhole explained how the budget would be funded, saying his government was not unaware that Edo State derives the bulk of its revenue from statutory allocation from the Federation account for the funding of capital and recurrent expenditures.
His government, he stated ‘’will continue to sustain and redouble our efforts to substantially reduce our dependence on the federation account allocation by intensifying our Internal Revenue Generation drive in the coming years.’’
“Accordingly, we envisage a significant boost to our IGR in 2015 while we will continue to leverage other domestic and external sources to fund projects that meet the state’s social and economic benefit cost and with positive cash flow to pay back.”
The budget which Governor Oshiomhole said was in line with global best practices is classified into four sectors: Administration which takes N17.873 billion as recurrent and N4.031 billion, capital; Economic with N5.342 billion, recurrent and N36.029 billion capital; Law and Justice with N2.955 billion recurrent and N0.837 billion, capital and Social with N20.173 billion, recurrent and N46.665 billion capital expenditures.
Flood, Erosion Control and Environmental protection takes the lion share of the budget with N18.5 billion, followed by the Education sector with N18.1 billion; Roads take N16.95 billion while the sum of N9.298 billion was allocated to the Health sector.
By way of explanation Governor Adams Oshiomhole said, “among the Capital projects we have earmarked for 2015 are the completion of the construction and equipping of the new Accident and Emergency 200 beds complex of the Central Hospital, Benin City.
Completion and furnishing of the second and third floor of the Block D of the New Secretarial Complex and ongoing renovation of Hospital buildings at the General Hospital, Agenebode”.
On roads infrastructure, he said, “A key priority of this administration is the completion and provision of good quality, well-drained and all-year round standard road infrastructure.
Our target is to connect as many communities, villages and towns as possible to accelerate social and economic activities in the state”.
In reviewing the state’s 2014 budget, the Governor said, “The total expected revenue was N117.48 billion.
However, as at June 2014, the actual revenue realized was N43.256 billion naira. In 2014, the revenue performance was affected by the drop in the allocation from the Federation account which adversely affected the revenue profile of the state”.
Despite all the challenges, continued the Governor, “We have effectively arrested the palpable decay and dilapidation we inherited in the environmental, social, education and transportation sector.
This has enabled us to lay a solid foundation for sustainable development of the state as well as raise the bar in terms of standards both for project execution and service delivery across sectors of our economy”.
Governor Oshiomhole expressed joy that the government has remained faithful to payments of wage obligation despite the dwindling allocation and inflow from the federal sources.
“We have equally honored our pensions and gratuity commitments. On the whole, we have sustained our policy of financial prudence and budget discipline which has kept the cost of governance within reasonable limits and ensured that more resources are channelled to Capital expenditures and welfare enhancing projects”.
With the presentation of the budget it is expected that the Hon. Uyi Igbe-led APC caucus of the State Assembly holding its session inside the old chamber of the State Legislative House within the Government House on Denis Osadebey Avenue, Benin City will facilitate the quick passage of the budget proposal.
In the coming days it is expected that the PDP caucus of the Assembly will definitely respond to the 2015 budget proposal.
Read the Governor’s full text here.
