DELTA GOVT. BUDGETS N389BN FOR 2020 FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVT.
OGHENETEJIRI NYERHOVWO RACHAEL IGBIVWIE
Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State has presented 2020 Appropriation Bill of N389.19 billion christened “Budget of Sustainable Development” to the House of Assembly.
Presenting the budget, the governor announced that Capital Expenditure would gulp N217.64 billion representing 55.92 per cent and that N171.55 billion or 44.08 per cent had been earmarked for Recurrent Expenditure during the period.
The budget is a little less than 2019’s N390.38 billion comprised of N157.10 billion for recurrent expenditure and N233.28 billion for capital expenditure.
Senator Okowa said that the 2020 budget would help his administration to achieve fiscal stability and promote accountability as imperatives for sustained economic growth.
He said that he would prioritize efficiency in expenditure through stringent control on non-productive expenditure, judicious allocation of resources and cost effectiveness of project delivery.
The governor also stated that the budget would accelerate rural-urban
integration and urban renewal through roads and flood control
infrastructure, markets development, housing and sanitation.
Dr. Okowa said that it was targeted at growing the non-oil sectors to produce an economy that was truly diversified, self-reliant, resilient and could withstand external shocks.
According to Dr. Okowa,”during the fiscal year, we will continue to
pursue Health for all Deltans (HeFAD) in line with the Universal Health
Coverage mandate of the United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals.Through the budget, we will increase investment in youth
entrepreneurship development programmes as well as technical/
vocational education designed to foster a new generation of wealth
creators, business leaders and managers. It will deepen and
strengthen our social investment programmes for improved protection
of the poor and vulnerable segments of the society, and escalate our
peace-building initiatives to secure our oil and gas installations.”
He added, “it will ensure public safety and engender an investor-
friendly climate, boost revenue through widening of the tax base and
administration of a functional tax regime that is fair, just and equitable
and engender a more responsive and efficient public sector.”
Road and Physical Infrastructure sector was allocated N84.54 billion,
the highest amount of the budget and was followed by Education with
N31.6 billion.
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