Niger Delta

Diri Presents N385.2bn 2023 Appropriation Budget …Capital Expenditure Gulps N167.545bn

Published

3 years ago

November 10, 2022

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has presented a N385,211,578,924 Appropriation Budget for the 2023 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly for consideration.
Presenting the proposal tagged: “Budget of Sustainable Growth and Reconstruction,” at the Assembly, Senator Diri said it was hinged on a six-pronged agenda, which include continuous building of infrastructure and reconstruction of such infrastructure that had been severely degraded by the floods.
He also said the Civil Service would be made more professional, while the agricultural sector will be transformed to be an essential contributor to the state’s economy and generate employment through various empowerment programmes.
He also stated that while his administration would continue to engage the Federal Government to intervene on the flood situation, a special Directorate for Flood and Erosion Control and Management would be established to provide technical support for flooding and erosion-related issues.
The Tide reports that the Governor further stated that the budget would be funded from various sources such as the monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) receipts to the tune of N153.511 billion, saying it represents 40% of the total appropriation.
Other are the 13% derivation with N148 billion, representing 39%, internally generated revenue (IGR) of N20 billion, representing 5%, grants of N16.7 billion, representing 4%, and loans of N47 billion, representing 12%.
Details of the proposed expenditure include personnel cost of N63.380 billion, overhead cost N95.458 billion, capital expenditure N167.545 billion, pension and gratuities (N14.711 billion), public debt servicing (N33.7 billion), and contributory pension, LGAs, Rural Development Authorities (RDAs) and SUBEB (N4.7 billion).
A sectoral breakdown of the budget proposal indicated that the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure got the lion’s share of N77.924 billion, followed by Education Ministry N40.458 billion, totalling N118.382bn.
Other allocations were: Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (N14.199bn), Environment (N13.842bn), while Health had N12.526bn.
Governor Diri said Lands and Housing Ministry would get N7.278 billion, Information, Orientation and Strategy N6.319 billion, while Ministry of Transport N5.322 billion, and N5.793 billion was earmarked for the Local Government and Community Development Ministry.
The Tide further reports that while the Ministry of Youth and Sports was allotted N4.610 billion, Trade, Industry and Investment got N2.844 billion, and the Ministry of Power got N2.5 billion.
The Governor said the government had prudently implemented the 2022 budget and made noteworthy headway in executing several capital-intensive projects.
Such projects include the 22.2km Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie Road, which had been asphalted close to Angiama community, the bridge across the Silver River at Aguobiri Community that is about 90% completed, while work on the Angiama-Oporoma Bridge was ongoing and being adequately funded.
According to him, the continuation of the 42km stretch of the Sagbama-Ekeremor Road, which asphalting had reached Aleibiri in Ekeremor Local Government Area, is scheduled to be completed within the first quarter of 2023.
“Work is also progressing on one lane and median of the 21km Igbogene-AIT/Elebele Outer Ring Road, while two sections of the road, Igbogene to Okarki and Imiringi to Elebele roundabout, have been completed. Work is ongoing on the two remaining sections of the lane,” he said.
He noted that construction of the Nembe-Brass Road, conceived over seven decades ago, was ongoing, stating that the first phase of the road covers 21km with 10 bridges and had a completion timeline of 24 months.
Responding to the Governor’s presentation, Speaker of the 6th Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, described it as historic, being the last of the Prosperity Government’s first tenure and the last the present crop of lawmakers would attend to before next year’s election.
The Speaker assured that the Assembly will prioritise the appropriation bill and ensure deliberation on it was completed before the end of the year.
He, however, drew the Governor’s attention to what he described as revenue leakages in the state IGR and advised that the financial team synergises to block such loopholes in the revenue generating agencies that he said were not remitting levies to the state coffers.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

Okpebholo Assures Corps Members Of Improved Welfare

Published

10 hours ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has assured corps members deployed to the state of improved welfare and a supportive service year.

Okpebholo gave the assurance at the swearing-in ceremony of the 2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream I corps members last Friday at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Permanent Orientation Camp in Okada.

The Governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment, safety and entrepreneurship.

Represented by the Commissioner for Youth Affairs, Mrs. Charity Amayaenvbo, the Governor urged corps members to embrace innovation, community service and self-reliance rather than wait for white-collar jobs.

“Edo is committed to supporting youth empowerment, entrepreneurship and incentives that turn ideas into enterprises.

“Do not wait for jobs, create value. Wherever you are posted, serve your host community with humility, dedication and compassion.

“Have a positive footprint and let your service contribute to unity, productivity and progress,” he said.

Okpebholo assured the corps members that the state government was attentive to their welfare and had started addressing key concerns raised by the NYSC leadership.

“On behalf of the state government, I assure you of our support in terms of safety, an enabling environment and a rewarding service year.

“I listened carefully to the requests highlighted by the state coordinator, and I am glad to inform you that some of them have already been captured in the 2026 budget, which has been approved and signed into law,” he said.

The Governor noted that provisions for accommodation, meal subsidies, logistics and the construction of a multipurpose hall at the camp were included in the budget.

Earlier in her address, the Edo State Coordinator of the NYSC, Dr. Frances Ben-Ushie, described the ceremony as a reflection of the state government’s commitment to youth development and national integration.

Ben-Ushie said as of midnight on Thursday, a total of 1,235 prospective corps members, comprising 531 males and over 700 females, had been duly registered.

She congratulated the corps members on their enlistment into what she described as a “noble scheme,” urging them to embrace discipline, learning and active participation throughout the orientation course.

“The NYSC platform provides a unique avenue to meet people from diverse backgrounds, build lifelong friendships and create networks that can open doors to greater opportunities,” she said.

Ben-Ushie also highlighted the contributions of the NYSC to the state’s development, noting that the scheme had consistently provided skilled manpower, promoted labour mobility and strengthened national unity.

She cited initiatives such as the Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers and the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme as key interventions benefiting communities across the state.

The NYSC coordinator commended the state government for its support, including the provision of buses for corps members, and appealed for further intervention to address lingering operational challenges at the orientation camp.

She expressed confidence that resolving the issues would enhance the effectiveness of NYSC programmes in the state and thanked the Governor for prioritising the welfare, security and growth of corps members.

Niger Delta

PDP Declares Edo Airline’s Plan As Misplaced Priority

Published

11 hours ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

The Edo chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday condemned the state government’s reported plan to establish a state-owned airline.

The party, in a statement by its Edo State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dan Osa-Ogbegie, described the proposal as a misplaced priority and evidence of poor, disconnected governance.

The Tide’s source reports that the State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, unveiled the airline plan during a meeting with Aviation Minister, Mr. Festus Keyamo, in Abuja.

Osa-Ogbegie said the proposal showed a government out of touch with the pressing challenges confronting Edo State residents.

“At a time of decaying infrastructure and stalled projects, establishing an airline is unrealistic and profoundly insensitive”, he said.

He argued that airlines were capital-intensive and technically demanding, noting that similar state-owned ventures in Nigeria had largely failed.

According to him, Benin has become a shadow of what a modern state capital should be.

He decried poor roads, collapsed urban planning, neglected drainage systems and weak municipal services across the state capital.

“This is a crying shame for a city of Benin’s history, heritage and enormous potential”, he said.

Osa-Ogbegie said several inherited projects had stalled or deteriorated, eroding investor confidence and undermining economic growth.

He accused the governor of pursuing “white elephant projects that offer optics without substance.”

He also cited ongoing flyover projects in parts of Benin as examples of poor prioritisation.

Against this background, he described the airline proposal as diversionary and lacking economic sense.

“When roads are barely motorable and services overstretched, proposing an airline betrays an absence of judgment,” he said.

He urged the government to abandon the plan and focus on people-centred priorities that would improve living conditions and spur growth.

“Edo does not need an airline to fly above its problems. It needs a government ready to confront them on the ground,” he said.

He warned that failure to refocus would deepen perceptions of an administration lacking direction, competence and a coherent development agenda.

Niger Delta

Students Protest Non-indigene Appointment As Rector in C’River

Published

11 hours ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

Students of Federal Polytechnic, Ugep, Cross River State, have protested to the Governor’s Office in Calabar over an alleged plan to appoint a non-indigene as Rector for the institution.

Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the students demanded respect for catchment area policy, local content, and the appointment of an indigene of the state as Rector of the institution.

Speaking on behalf of the students in Calabar, Stephen Etem said the protest sought to alert the Federal and Cross River State Governments to an alleged deviation from the established rectorial selection process.

Etem said a Governing Council, chaired by Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa, was constituted by the Federal Government to conduct the Rector selection exercise.

“The screening, which began last year, reportedly produced a Cross River State indigene as highest scorer and recommended candidate.

“Information available to us suggests that the alleged recommended candidate’s name might be substituted at the Federal Ministry of Education.

“We urge the Federal Government to uphold the council’s recommendation because altering the process could threaten peace in the institution,” he noted.

Responding at the Government House, Mr. Goddie Akpama, the Special Adviser on Intelligence to the State Governor, Bassey Otu, appealed for calm, saying the Governor was away but would be briefed.

Akpama advised the students to submit written petitions through appropriate channels, avoid inflammatory language, and engage authorities to ensure stability and uninterrupted academic activities.