2022 Budget: Ebonyi Government proposes N148.650bn, holds Citizens’ consultations
Moses Nwite, Abakaliki.
The Ebonyi State Government, south-east Nigeria, has organized a Citizens/Consultative forum for citizens and residents of the State to air their opinions about the State’s proposed N148.650bn 2022 budget.
The Governor of the State, Engr. David Umahi, disclosed this to journalists during the inputs/Consultative meeting at the State Ecumenical Center Abakaliki, the State Capital.
“The essence of the meeting is for Ebonyi citizens to make their remarks where the need arises and help in making it a reality.
“We are to look into financial leakages in the State’s revenue where people are crying of over taxation and have been defrauded, still none of these funds is entering into the State purse,” he said.
Umahi welcomed partnership with investors interested in the State’s various properties in Abia, Enugu, Imo, Lagos States and the Federal Capital Territory in order to Abuja to generate revenues, which could enable the Government fund the budget.
Consequently, Umahi warned that there will be no reduction of school fees for students of Ebonyi State University, adding that “if the staff of the institution must earn their 100% salaries, the school fees of the students must definitely go higher”.
The State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Mr Olando Nweze, presented a proposed sum of One Hundred and Forty-Eight Billion, Six Hundred and Fifty Million, Six Hundred and Fifty-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seven Naira, Forty-One Kobo (N148,650,658,807.41) for public inputs and consultations.
Nweze said 67% of the budget was for Capital expenditure, while 33% was for Recurrent expenditures.
The Commissioner titled the 2022 budget “Budget of Sustainable Development and Commitment”.
The representative of the State’s Market Women, Mrs Akochi Adaeze, during the meeting pleaded with the State Government to look into multiple taxation in the markets and also release grants to them from time to time to boost their businesses for better economic development.
