SOLUDO PRESENTS #258.9BN APPROPRIATION BILL TO ASSEMBLY
REPORTER: BEN ILECHUKWU
Anambra State Government has presented the 2023 draft budget of N258,970,175, 905 billion to the state House of Assembly.
This is against the 2022 revised draft budget size of 170 billion naira, which the Governor presented to the assembly on May 19, 2022, entitled “Taking Off from the Blocks.”
Presenting the budget estimate at the state House of Assembly, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, said “the draft budget is in the context of a very bumpy national and international order, when the nation is reeling under the economic challenges of unsustainable macroeconomic framework.”
The budget entitled “budget of acceleration,” has a capital expenditure of N164.2 billion accounting for 63.2% while the recurrent expenditure of N95.5 billion accounts for 36.8%.
It also has a deficit of N13 billion.
According to Governor Soludo, the budget was hinged on the premise to enable his administration focus on its determination to continue to press hard on its quest towards achieving its mandate despite the daunting challenges being encountered.
Professor Soludo restated his commitment to transforming Anambra State into a livable and prosperous smart megacity that would be the preferred destination to live, invest and work.
Governor Soludo while stressing that over the past seven months, despite the challenges, his administration had been able to address some of the foundational issues.
Governor Soludo, who recounted that the House approved to borrow N100 billion to partly-finance the revised 2022 budget, said that his government had only applied for N90 billion out of the approved N100 billion, expected to be rolled over as part of 2023 financing.
He further hinted on his administration’s plan to complete the building of the Anambra Airport within the 2023 fiscal year with major emphasis on the environment.
Earlier, the Speaker Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr. Uchenna Okafor, remarked that the Governor had taken great steps towards moving the state to greater heights, even as he said that the content of the 2023 draft budget were structured in line with the burning desire to run a quality government.
The Speaker, Mr. Uche Okafor, who expressed joy that within the eight months in office, Governor Soludo was able to kick start construction of over 220 kilometers of roads, improved on security architecture and environmental sanitation, employed more teachers among others.
He assured that the state legislature would join hands with the Governor to ensure that the present administration succeeded in all fronts, through enactment of laws and resolutions aimed at improving the living standards of the citizenry.
Meanwhile, the budget has already passed through first and second readings at the House of Assembly.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
