Enugu Presents N67.8bn Budget For 2010

The governor of Enugu state, Barrister Sullivan Chime Wednesday presented a draft budget of sixty-seven billion, eight hundred and sixty-six million, four hundred and eighteen thousand seven hundred and ten naira (N67, 866, 418, 710) to members of the state House of Assembly for their consideration and approval and for his government services come 2010 fiscal year.

Christened “Budget of Strategic Adjustment”, governor Chime listed the policy thrust of the budget to include consolidating on the gains of the year 2009 Budget , completion of on-going projects , increased involvement of the private sector in the development of the State , massive provision of social and economic infrastructure in the rural and urban areas, diversification and intensification of the resource and revenue base of the State, as well as effective collaboration with other tiers and arms of Government for effective service delivery.

The budget, he said, is made up of thirty billion, one hundred and one million, three hundred and twenty two thousand three hundred and fifty eight naira (N30,101,322,358) as Recurrent Expenditure, which is 44 per cent of the budget size, thirty seven billion, seven hundred and sixty five million, ninety six thousand, three hundred and fifty two naira (N37,765,096,352) goes to Capital Expenditure, representing 56 per cent of the entire envelope.

According to him, the capital expenditure is higher than the recurrent this time in tune with the determination to ensure that his Government completes virtually all the capital projects it began.

The State Government, he went on, expects a recurrent revenue of thirty six billion, six hundred and twenty million, ninety two thousand, seven hundred and ten naira (N36,620,092,710). Government intends to realise this through aggressive internally-generated revenue which is estimated at N6.62 billion and our share of Federal Revenue put at thirty billion (N30bn), representing 81.93 per cent.

Continuing, governor Chime further stated that the estimated Recurrent Expenditure is thirty billion, one hundred and one million, three hundred and twenty two thousand, three hundred and fifty eight naira (N30,101,322,358), adding that out of this, twenty billion, two hundred and seventy million, three hundred and seventeen thousand, one hundred and twenty naira which represents 68% has been devoted to personnel costs including Consolidated Revenue Fund charges.

A total sum of five billion, eight hundred and thirty million naira (N5,830,000,000) which translates to 19 per cent is for overhead costs whereas four billion, one million, five thousand, two hundred and thirty eight (N4,001,005,238) which is 13 per cent goes to subventions to parastatals and tertiary institutions in the state.

He also told members of the Assembly that the sum of thirty seven billion, seven hundred and sixty five million, ninety six thousand, three hundred and fifty two naira (N37,765,096,352) is appropriated for capital expenditure in year 2010.

His words: “Our dream of consolidating on the achievements recorded in road redevelopment and rehabilitation is for the Government to complete all on-going urban and rural road projects while awarding new ones as the needs and funds permit. This is with a view to providing accessibility and mobility in both the urban and rural areas to enhance the rapid socio-economic transformation of the State.”

Governor Chime made it clear that to achieve this objective, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure received the highest allocation of N12.65 billion in the 2010 budget, pointing out that this represents 33.50 per cent of the entire capital budget of the State.

This, he said, will take care of on-going works on our urban roads notably Nkpokiti-Agbani Road , 82 Division, Mechanic Village among others as it will also cater for sixty kilometres of Enugu and Nsukka urban roads captured in the 2010 budget.

The sum of N150 million was also provided as Government’s counterpart contribution for the World Bank-assisted Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) which is expected to take off fully in the State during the 2010 fiscal year, he equally added.