Ms Chiamaka Nnake, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Anambra State said, the budget of N606.99 billion presented by Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to the State House of Assembly will consolidate the industrialisation efforts of the government.
Nnake, who said this while breaking down the budget christened “Changing Gears 2.0” added that it was 48% increase over the budget of 2024 which was N410bn.
The Commissioner who provided the details to the News Agency of Nigeria ,NAN, yesterday said the budget had a capital proposal of N467.5 billion and recurrent purse of N139.5 billion representing 77 percent and 23% respectively.
Nnake said the budget had a deficit of N148.3 billion which would be raised from revenue growth or borrowing from financial institutions.
“The budget deficit is estimated at N148.3 billion, that is 24% of the budget and this deficit is expected to be funded through revenue growth or borrowing from financial institutions.
“Like Mr Governor said in his speech, the vision of this administration to turn Anambra into a destination rather than a departure lounge is fully on course”, she said.
Nnake said completion of ongoing road projects and construction of new ones would gulp N200 billion while development of new cities in Onitsha, Awka, and Industrial City at N32 billion.
In tourism, the Commissioner said development of leisure/entertainment centre across the state would gulp N10 billion, micro enterprises would receive N2 billion while information, communication and social orientation got N5 billion.
She said development of a 4-star hotel and new markets would get N15bn and N10 billion respectively while fitting/equipping the new Government House would gulp N5 billion.
Nnake said the determination to raise a digital tribe was still on course with the completion of the Solution Innovation District building getting an allocation of N3 billion while matching fund for counterpart fund had an outlay of N5 billion.
She said N2 billion would be used for purchase of armored personnel carriers and other equipment to boost the security architecture while buses/jetties/boats would be purchased with N 2.5billion for mass transport services.
“Riverine and Oil-Producing Communities will get N500 million, our oil palm and coconut seedling programme has a projection of N2 billion while solar street lights and solar for government offices has a budget of N7 billion.
“We plan to bring urban water schemes back with N5 billion, the construction of House of Assembly Legislative Quarters N1.5 billion and we will sustain and expand operations of Solution Innovation District with N2.24 billion.
“Next year, empowerment programme will get N3 billion and Mr Governor is determined to develop the solid mineral sector with allocation of N2.39 billion and we made a provision of N2 billion for erosion control”, she said.
Nnake said Education was a priority to the Soludo administration with the proposal of N11 billion for renovation, construction, equipping of smart schools and another N3 billion for students loan, bursary while N22 billion is meant for development of institutions.
She said N1 billion will be used as supplementary funds to secondary schools and N250 million will be used as transport support for schools while development of petroleum and energy resources would get N1.78 billion .
“In health, construction and equipping of General Hospitals has a provision of N3 billion, N1 billion will be used for accreditation of general hospitals and extension of free antenatal and delivery will get N1 billion.
“Construction and equipping of the college of nursing and extension of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital in Aguata has a budget of N7 billion.
“N1.5 billion is earmarked for construction of a stand-alone trauma center and the upgrading of the Teaching Hospital has N1 billion provision while the construction of Cancer Hospital will gulp N5 billion”, she said.
