From Obinna Odogwu, Awka

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, yesterday, lamented the N120 billion debt and near empty treasury he inherited.

He made the lamentations while presenting the 2022 revised budget tagged: “Taking Off from the Blocks,” to the House of Assembly.

The draft budget has a total figure of N169,621,744,131.

The Assembly had on December 9, 2021, passed the 2022 Appropriation Bill of N141.9 billion presented by the immediate past governor, Willie Obiano. The difference is N27.7 billion.

Soludo said the purpose of the revised budget was to reflect current realities, challenges, priorities of the new administration and the dire needs of residents in Anambra.

The budget is made up of N108 billion capital expenditure, accounting for 64 per cent compared with 57 per cent in the previous budget.N61.3 billion is allocated for recurrent expenditure, translating to 36 per cent against 43 per cent in the previous budget while N19 billion would be spent on personnel cost while N23 billion would be spent on overheads.

Breakdown indicated that Ministry of Works has the highest allocation, from N23 billion in the previous budget to N54 billion, followed by healthcare which was reduced from N4.4 billion to N2.9 billion.

Ministries of agriculture and education were allocated N1.5 billion and N1.1 billion respectively, while Youth Development and Transportation got N2.4 billion and N1.6 billion, respectively.

Ministry of Power and Water Resources got N2.3 billion while Ministry of Culture, Entertainment and Tourism got N2.7 billion.

Soludo said his administration would continue with the ‘Community Choose Your Project’ initiative of his predecessor, which was increased to N25 million from N20 million per community.

“The 2022 revised budget seeks to achieve four pillars of economic transformation, social agenda, governance, rule of law and value as well as greener and healthier environment.

“We inherited challenges of which red treasury and insecurity were the most acute. But I am emboldened by the massive support and solidarity of the people. We are Anambra people, and together, we shall overcome.

“Give us the budget urgently, and by the time our people come home for Christmas, we will all be proud that we are serving the people well,” he said.

Soludo informed the House that security agencies were working round the clock to secure the release of the kidnapped lawmaker, Okechukwu Okoye, representing Aguata Constituency Il.

Speaker of the House of Assembly, Uche Okafor, and the representative of Nnewi North constituency, Nonso Okafor, lauded the governor for his determination to rebuild the state and asked him not to relent along the line.

They said the Assembly would give the bill, which had passed first reading, a fair consideration.