Jude Chinedu, Enugu
Enugu Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, yesterday, presented the 2020 budget proposal of N169. 567,658 billion to the House of Assembly for consideration and approval.
Tagged “Budget of Responsive and Accountable Governance” it is seven per cent higher than the N109 billion 2019 budget.
Ugwuanyi, while presenting the budget said about N100.77 billion would be spent on capital expenditure while recurrent expenditure would gulp about N68.79 billion.
He said the increase in the budget was necessitated by “the commitment to meeting the development expectations of our people through the provision of critical infrastructure in virtually all the sectors, including but not limited to roads, housing, education, health, agriculture, rural electrification, water, transport, women and youth empowerment.”
Ugwuanyi also said the target of his administration was to grow the internally generated revenue to account for 50 per cent of income by 2023.
Highlighting the key deliverables of the budget, Governor Ugwuanyi said government plans to construct the first Enugu underpass/flyover at Nike Lake Resort/ Nike Road T-junction; construct and reconstruct more urban and rural roads; upgrade and remodel the Hotel Presidential Enugu; enhance facilities at Nike Lake Resort; complete the construction, landscaping and furnishing of the International Conference Center (ICC), Enugu; reconstruct Michael Okpara Square, Enugu with provision of additional pavilions; construct Adada Campus of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Nsukka; establish Small and Medium Scale (SMEs) industries in 17 local government councils; and upgrade and revitalise primary health care facilities to ensure quick and easy access to healthcare delivery in the remote villages.
Governor Ugwuanyi said his administration through the budget intends to consolidate and expand on the foundation already laid in creating an environment that encourages full development of human and natural resources.
The governor said the essence of the budget was to rekindle social services as well as build vital infrastructure in all sectors of the economy.
He said the implementation of the recommendations of the 12 sectoral ad-hoc committees on the review of different sectors for the advancement of good governance and optimized service delivery were aptly captured in the 2020 budget proposal.
He disclosed that the revenue and expenditure performance in the 2019 budget was a huge success as his administration recorded achievements in infrastructure, education, health, electrification, security, urban beautification, transport, water, women and youth empowerment, commerce and industry, housing among others.
Ugwuanyi pointed out that the national inflation rate of 10.8 per cent, national real GDP growth of 2.93 per cent, oil production benchmark of 2.18 million barrels per day, oil price benchmark of $55 per barrel and an exchange rate of N305 per $1 were the macro and micro-economic indicators that informed the administration’s projections for the 2020 budget.
Speaker Edward Ubosi said the legislators would fast track the process of passing the budget into law before December 25.