By Our Correspondent
Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area in Delta State, Hon. Matthew Mofe Edema yesterday, presented an estimate of three billion, one hundred and twenty five million, six hundred and eighty three thousand, three hundred and eight six naira, eighty-nine kobo (N3, 125,683,386.89) as 2016 budget to the Warri South Legislative Arm for consideration and approval.
Presenting the budget christened budget
of “Renewed Restoration”, Hon. Edema explained that the fiscal estimate is geared towards restoring and facilitating all-round socio-economic and infrastructural development of the entire Local Government Area.
The Warri South Council boss while acknowledging that the 2015 budget was not fully executed as a result of global fall in the price of crude oil, emphasized that his administration ensured that the promise of “removal of all illegal payments , all illegal allowance, ghost workers, blocking of all loopholes were carried out” in 2015.
A breakdown of the 2016 estimate shows that recurrent expenditure will gulp two billion, two hundred and fifty two million, fifteen thousand, eight hundred and eighty five naira, eighty nine kobo (N2, 252, 015,885,89) making up 72%, while capital vote will take eight hundred and seventy three million, six hundred and sixty seven thousand , five hundred naira, totaling 28%.
The estimate further revealed that one billion, eight hundred and eighty one million, six hundred and forty three thousand, eight hundred and forty five naira, thirty five kobo (N1, 881, 643,845.35) is expected as statutory Federal and State allocations, with Internally Generated Revenue projected at eight hundred and forty three million, six hundred and seventy four thousand, seven hundred and fifty naira (N843, 674,750).
Hon. Edema averred that in-line with his administration’s policy direction of impacting positively on the lives of the people of Warri South Local Government, the sum of N52.5million will be spent to ensure that existing boreholes and street lights provided by the Council in the past are made functional and new ones provided in areas where there’s none, while N37.8 million will be expended for environmental sanitation.
He stressed that as a major source of revenue, adequate attention shall be paid to the development of markets in Warri with a projected sum of N100 million.
Responding on behalf of the Leader of Warri South Legislative Arm, Hon. Sunday Aguweye, The Deputy Leader, Hon. Richard Pessu and the Majority Leader, Hon. Romeo Ogedegbe assured Hon. Edema that the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation will immediately start work on the draft estimate, even as they assured the Council boss of their support in shoring up Internally Generated Revenue with a view to making up for the shortfall in the monthly Federal and State allocations occasioned by the decline in the price of crude oil at the International Market.
