From Scholastica Hir Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has presented a N225 billion budget for the 2024 fiscal year to the Benue State House of Assembly.
The document christened “Budget of Infrastructure Development, Job Creation and Poverty Alleviation is the highest in the history of Benue state.
The budget proposal has the sum of N115 billion as capital expenditure and N110.5 billion as recurrent expenditure.
Presenting the budget on Friday evening before the House in Makurdi, Governor Alia said the budget has 25 percent increase over the 2023 budget.
He also stated that the budget is in line with his blue print, “Benue Strategic Development Plan” saying when implemented, will lead to a prosperous Benue.
He explained that the budget’s capital expenditure of N115 billion represents 61.6 percent and a recurrent expenditure of 110 billion shows a percentage of 1.9 away from the 2023 recurrent cost of the revised 2023 budget.
He put personnel cost at 56.4 billion representing 17.1 percent increase and non personnel cost or overhead cost is pegged at 54.31billion which represents 10.3 percent decrease in the proposition compared to the 2023 budget.
In a sectoral breakdown, the Governor proposed the sum of N57. 010 billion for administration, N108.81 billion for the economy while Law and Justice got 12.929 billion and N46.974 billion for the social sector.
While the education sector gotN33.85 billion, health got N33.88, agriculture, N28.26 billion, Security N10.80 billion, infrastructure N80.73 billion among others.
Governor Alia said Benue people are desirous of accelerated growth which they must give to them, adding that there will be improved infrastructural development with emphasis on road construction, digitalized economy, massive youth employment, improved agricultural growth, sports development, increased funding for all tertiary institutions in the state as well as improvement in health care service delivery.
Alia appreciated party faithfuls and members of the House of Assembly for their efforts which led to their victory at the polls and the Benue people for their unwavering support since he came into office.
He said when to took over Government in May, 2023, he was confronted with huge backlog of arrears of allowances, salaries and pensions.
” We met a state and system that was highly mismanaged and we started business of governance from ground zero. Our health facilities up to the tertiary level were in commatose and needed urgent attention.
“But we campaign to fix a broken Benue and that we must do God willing.”
He therefore called on all and sundry as stakeholders in the Benue project, to work together with the government to create a better Benue saying the time for politics has ended and now time to deliver on dividends to the people.