ANAMBRA @ 33: IT’S FAKE NEWS, I WILL NOT BORROW TO FUND 2024 BUDGET – SOLUDO
REPORTER: BEN ILECHUKWU
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State says his government has no plans to borrow about N240 billion to fund the state’s 2024 budget.
He was responding to a newspaper publication alleging he wanted to borrow to fund this year’s budget.
Governor Soludo made this known in a Live broadcast to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the state’s creation at Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia.
According to Governor Soludo, the state cannot borrow N245 billion while running a deficit of N121 billion for the 2024 appropriation even as he recalled that Anambra State deliberately opted out from the list of states receiving N438 billion loan from the World Bank.
“In 2022, the State House of Assembly approved borrowing N100 billion for a supplementary budget, and to this moment, we have not borrowed a kobo of that amount.
“Last year, 2023, we had an implicit budget deficit of about N90 billion, but we did not borrow a kobo for that, and this year we have a deficit of about N121 billion, and we have not borrowed a kobo for that either.
“The reason is simple, we are working on projects and Programmes that will be bankable. We insist on borrowing only for bankable projects that have a high probability of generating returns to repay the debt,” he said.
The Governor maintained that the dreams of the founding fathers of the state would continue to be on the rise in all the key sectors of the state economy.
Governor Soludo assured that his administration would continue to work hard to put the state on the frontline, insisting that the a healthy environment remained paramount to his administration.
He hinted on plans to mitigate the effects of the impending flooding in the riverine areas of the state.
“We have been warned and warned and so we are preparing. This is going to cost the state homongous amount of money; we are gathering and getting ready.
“The federal government for example, sent some 24,000 bags of rice, which we are also keeping for this particular major emergency that is expected to happen any moment from now,” the Governor remarked.
While felicitating the people of the state on the anniversary, the Governor paid glowing tributes to heroes past from Anambra State, including the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Prof. Chinua Achebe, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo among others, who had contributed immensely to the growth of the state .
Governor Soludo further enjoined the residents of the state to join hands in making the state to attain a liveable, prosperous and smart homeland.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
