Ebonyi stakeholders, leaders of thought endorses proposed budget estimate of N204 bn

.As govt holds town hall meeting on 2024 Budget

BY CLEMENT NNACHI (ABAKALIKI)

Stakeholders and Leaders of Thought in Ebonyi State, have unanimously endorsed the State Government proposed budget estimate of N204 billion for the 2024 fiscal year.

The Citizens made the endorsement on Wednesday during a Town Hall meeting tagged Citizens Input Participation, organized by the government to enable citizens make contributions on the estimate.

Speaking on the occassion, Governor Francis Nwifuru said that  the essence of the event,  was to enable people not in government make their inputs.

According to him, “Ebonyi State Government signed an Open Government Partnership, an initiative for Citizens to be aware of the contents of budget estimate before presentation to the State House of Assembly’

‘We are here because Government is committed to openness, empowerment, fight against corruption that will ensure good governance and boost economic development”

“We need to build capacity roads that can last for years, there is no Local Government in the State that does not have ongoing road construction”

Governor Nwifuru assured the citizenry that by the end of his tenure, there will be positive impacts in all sectors.

Earlier while giving a Sectoral Analysis of the budget estimate, the State Commissioner for Finance/Economic Development Dr Leonard Uguru, said that the estimate has a Recurrent Expenditure of N71.3 billion and N132.8 billion for Capital Expenditure.

Contributions and inputs were made by representative of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Students Union Government of Ebonyi State University, Umuekumeyi Association, Nigeria Union of Journalists ((NUJ) and  Royal Fathers .

Highlights of the occassion was the Motion put forward by the Commissioner for Finance Dr Leonard Uguru, seeking for adoption, that the estimate be presented to the State House of Assembly and it was unanimously adopted.

The Town Hall meeting had in attendance members of the State Executive Council, Elders Council, the Chief Judge of the State Elvis Ngele, Traditional Rulers and students,

Others include Civil Society Organizations (CSO), State Chairman of APC Stanley Emegha, Chairman of the State Royal Fathers Eze Charles Nkpuma, Chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Chief Ogodo Ali Nomeh among others.