Matthew Ajai-Kume & Sunday Iduh
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has presented the 2023 budget estimate of N179,750,090,123.40 only to the Benue State House Assembly for consideration and approval.
Presenting the 2023 budget estimate Tuesday at the Assembly Chamber in Makurdi, Governor Ortom said the amount is made up of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) Statutory Revenue of N71 ,385,773,440.00 or 39.7% of aggregate revenue estimate.
Governor Ortom stated that there is the sum of N30,000,572,805.56 or 16.7% of aggregate revenue from independent sources while there is provision of N78,363,743,877.84 or 43.6% of the aggregate revenue from other sources including aid, grants and loans.
According to Governor Ortom, the 2023 budget christened “Budget of Consolidation and Transition” has the fiscal year sectoral allocation estimate of revenue projection as follows: Economic – N144,013,185,468.23 representing 80.1%; Social – N35,379,523,597.17 representing 19.7 %; Administrative – N207,215,059.00 representing 0.12%; and Law and Justice – N150,165,999.00 representing 0.08% totaling up to N179,750,090,123.00 representing 100%.
He stated that, the sectoral breakdown of expenditure estimates are: Economic – N94,312,934,579.06 representing 52.55%, Social – N44,792,178,678.56 representing 24.96%, Administrative – N33,780.953,060 representing 18.82%, Law and Justice – N6,592 ,553,805.66 representing 3.67% totalling N179,750,090,123.40 representing 100%
“Mr Speaker, honourable members, our focus in preparing the 2023 budget estimate is to consolidate on priority programmes, projects and prepare the ground for the transition of next administration,” Governor Ortom stated.
He further said: “We will seek to complete ongoing infrastructure projects, promote community mobilisation for development and security, and further invest in education, skill development and healthcare to ensure that we have the 21st century human capital that is suitable for opportunities to rapidly changing digital world.
“We will continue to ensure that our workers are paid on time, while also intensifying our efforts to resolve the long standing challenge of pension arrears.”
On his part, Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, Titus Uba said he is delighted to once again receive the historic presentation of the state’s appropriation bills.
“Today’s presentation is particularly historic because this is the last annual budget that our administration shall be passing. We all know that the lifespan of this administration shall expire by the middle of next year,” Uba stated.
He further stated that “it is important to note that the appropriation bills we have before us today, which His Excellency has rightly tagged “Budget of Transition,” shall set the tone for both the take-off of the next administration and the robust development of our state in the coming year.”
Uba commended, Governor Ortom for standing firm in defense of the people of Benue State against repeated heinous invasions and attacks, while thanking him for the timely presentation of the budget proposals for 2023.
He assured the governor that the House will accord the processing and passage of the budget proposals laid before them with the urgency it deserves.
Uba charged all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to cooperate maximally with the various committees of the House, which shall soon invite them to appear for the budget exercise.
