By Our Correspondent
The Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Hon. Matthew Mofe Edema has presented a budget estimate of two billion, three hundred and eighty-three million, four hundred and sixty-eight thousand, two hundred and twenty-six naira (N2, 383,468 226.00) for 2015 to the Council’s Legislative Arm, vowing not to give up on his administration’s desire to improve the lots of people of the Local Government despite the current economic challenges.
Hon. Edema who christened the 2015 financial estimate “budget of restoration,” explained that it “is geared towards restoring and facilitating all-round socio-economic and infrastructural development of the entire Local Government Area”.
While noting that his administration will continue “to insist on the removal of all illegal payments, all illegal allowances and ghost workers” with a view to plugging all loop-holes capable of impacting negatively on the Council’s internally generated revenue, the Warri South Council boss disclosed that the 2015 budget shall be financed from N1, 688,018,073.00 statutory allocation, N791, 595,000.00 internally generated revenue and the sum of N358, 855,153.00 brought forward.
A breakdown of the financial estimate shows that the sum of one billion, eight hundred and eighty seven million, one hundred and eighteen thousand, two hundred and twenty six naira (N 1,887,118,226.00) representing 66% is earmarked for recurrent expenditure, while Nine hundred and fifty-one million, three hundred and fifty thousand (N951,350,000.00) representing 34% is allocated for capital expenditure.
While the economic sector receive the highest vote of N345, 000,000.00, the health sector which got a boost of N153, 000,000.00 will witness the renovation and equipping of existing health centres in the Local Government.
Hon. Edema while stressing that his administration will lay more emphasis this year on general sanitation throughout the Local Government Area in addition to the monthly sanitation exercise, promised that adequate attention shall be paid to the development of major markets in Warri in a bid to shore-up the council internally generated revenue.
Receiving the draft estimate, the Leader of Warri South Legislative Arm, Hon. Sunny Aguweye promised that members of the House will give the budget proposal accelerated hearing.
According to our correspondent, all Nineteen Councilors representing the various wards, Vice Chairman of the Local Government, Hon. Charlie Etsaghara, Secretary to the Local Government, Hon. Bawo Nana, Supervisors, the Warri South Council Head of Personnel Management, Mr. James Kolo, Treasurer to the Local Government, Mr. Bishop Etakebo and other top functionaries of the Council accompanied Hon. Edema to the Legislative Arm for the presentation.
