The Ebonyi government has proposed the sum of N139 billion as its budget estimate for the 2023 fiscal year.
Gov. David Umahi made the disclosure on Monday while presenting the budget estimate to the Ebonyi House of Assembly at its complex in Abakaliki.
Umahi revealed that the budget christened “budget of divine mandate consolidation and continuity’ would consolidate on his administration’s gains in the past seven years.
The governor revealed that his administration would implement 41.67% of the budget while the next adminstration would implement 58.33%.
“The budget consists of a recurrent expenditure of N58.3billion covering 41.8 per cent while the capital expenditure is N81billion, covering 58 percent of the total estimate.
“Personnel cost is N27billion covering 19.2 per cent of the total budget while overhead cost is N31.4billion covering 26 per cent of the total budget,” he said.
He explained that the 2023 budget proposal is 4.13% less than the 2022 budget of N145.4billion.
“The reduction is aimed at addressing the challenges observed so far in the implementation of the 2022 budget.
“The proposed budget will capture the inauguration of the two universities of Information Communication Technology, Oferekpe, Izzi and the Aeronautical University at Ezza,” he said.
Umahi noted that the administrative sector would receive N32billon, economic sector-N71billion, law and justice-N3billion, regional sector–N57millon and social sector–N34billion.
“The ministry of finance received the highest allocation of N26billion while that of infrastructure development and concession received N21.4million,” he said.
The governor during the presentation, presented the highlights and achievements of the past budgets of his administration between 2015-2022.
The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Chief Francis Nwifuru commended the executive arm of government for judiciously utilising the provisions of the 2022 budget.
“The same applies to past budgets starting from 2015 and such had enhanced the economic and social wellbeing of the people,” he said.
He pledged the cooperation of the legislative arm of government to ensure the implementation of all present government’s policies and programmes as it ends in 2023.
“I thank the House members for their cooperation and call for the speedy passage of the 2023 budget estimate,” he said.
