Benue Govt Presents N179bn Budget To State Assembly

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Tuesday, presented the 2023 Appropriation Bill of N179 billion to the State House of Assembly.

The budget titled, ‘Budget of Consolidation and Transition’, has a recurrent expenditure of N106 billion with capital expenditure put at N73 billion.

Ortom said that N48 billion was for personnel cost while N57billion was earmarked for sub-heads

The governor said, “The budget provision reflects our continuing commitment to job-creating and wealth-generating Agricultural Value Chaln Development, with adequate provisions for key Inputs such as land development, mechanisation, provision of inputs to farmers, including fertiliser, seeds and seedlings, irrigation and chemicals, services and completion of education, health and transport infrastructure projects, including arterial, access and township roads.

“We have also made ample provision for water and rural electrification projects and the completion of the ground-breaking Benue Geospatial Information Service (BENGIS) Project.”

Ortom said that the recurrent and capital expenditures provided for youth empowerment programmes and projects that would enable the young people to meet the challenges and opportunities of the present and be well-equipped for the changing world of the future.

He added that his administration had also commenced the implementation of the resolutions of the Youth Summit and similarly making provisions to partner with the World Bank for the implementation of the Nigeria for Women Project, with a focus on empowering women enterprises and entrepreneurs.

Ortom reiterated the determination of his government to finish strong in service of the people, especially in its trying times, pledging that he would faithfully pay workers salary arrears.