Governor Nyesom Wike (r) and Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani during the Presentation of the 2019 Rivers State Budget to the House of Assembly on Monday
Governor
Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Monday presented the 2019
Appropriation Bill of N480billion to the State House of Assembly for
consideration and approval.
Presenting
the 2019 Appropriation Bill to the House, Governor Wike said the
strategic thrust for the 2019 budget is to promote economic growth
and diversification, create jobs and reduce unemployment; take as
many of Rivers people out of poverty and improve the standard
of living of Rivers State.
The
budget is premised on an oil price bench mark of 55 United States
Dollars per barrel, which is 5 dollars lower than that of the Federal
Government.
The
2019 Rivers State Budget is Christened: "Budget of
Sustainable Growth and Development.”
The
governor proposed N323, 288,970,085.00 as capital expenditure,
while Recurrent Expenditure will gulp
N157, 122,354,564.15.
He
said: "The capital allocation of 323,288,970,085.00 for the 2019
fiscal year represents 65 per cent of the total budget. This sum is
however less than the figure for 2018 by N57, 708,717,319.00 due to
the reduction in the total size of the 2019 budget as against that of
2018.
He
said because the 2019 Appropriation Bill has set priorities for
human capital development and infrastructural provision, a
substantial part of the capital budget is allocated to the
Ministries of Agriculture; Education; Employment Generation and
Empowerment; Health; Sports Development; Women Affairs; Works; and
Youth Development.
The
governor proposed N72, 911,765,640.21 billion naira for
the construction and improvement of the State’s road network and
transport infrastructure.
He
said: "This sum, which constitute about 24 per cent
of the total capital budget, will be utilized to continue with the
funding of the construction and completion of roads".
The
sectoral allocation of the capital budget is as follows: (Proposed)
Administration Sector; N17, 820,704,443.79 ,Economic Sector: N99,
053,565,640.20 ; Law and Justice Sector; N 4,350,000,000.00; Social
Sector; N127, 292,200,000.00 and ; Special Heads, N50,
347,500,000.00; Loan Repayments , N24, 425,000,000.00.
Governor
Wike said the following roads will be completed in 2019.
They include: the dualization of Kira – Sakpenwa – Bori – Kono
road; the Andoni - Opobo Unity road; the Oyigbo town –
Ebete road; Tema – Ifoko road the Mbano camp road;
Eleme - Obete road; Eteo – Sime – Bayayira-Nonwa-Kira road;
Rumuji – Ibaa – obele – isiokpo road; Akabuka - Omoku road;
Flyover bridge at Garisson Junction abd Abonnema
ring road.
Others
are: Abua-Degema – Emoh-Iyak-Ighom-Elok road; Ula
Ehuda – Odioku – Anwunugboko – Ubeta – Ihuechi – Odiereke
road; Rumuche road in Emouha Local Government Area; Flyover
bridge at Rumuokwuta roundabout; Flyover bridge at University
of Port Harcourt Junction
Ahoada – Odiemerenyi – Ihugbogo-odieke road; Isiodu roads , Ahoada – Ekpena road; Omoku-Aligwu-Kreigani-Oduoboburu road, Odieku internal roads; Bolo internal roads; Rumukpakani internal roads; and
Umuogba – Umuokpurukpu – Umueke – Umunju Umuelechi – Eberi roundabout link road.
Ahoada – Odiemerenyi – Ihugbogo-odieke road; Isiodu roads , Ahoada – Ekpena road; Omoku-Aligwu-Kreigani-Oduoboburu road, Odieku internal roads; Bolo internal roads; Rumukpakani internal roads; and
Umuogba – Umuokpurukpu – Umueke – Umunju Umuelechi – Eberi roundabout link road.
Governor
Wike proposed the sum of N17,112,000,000.00 for the Bureau for
Special Projects to fund the completion of land
reclamation at Bakana in Degema Local Government Area, land
reclamation at Abalama in Asari Toru Local Government Area; land
reclamation and shore protection at Kula in Akuku Toru Local
Government Area; the Secretariat buildings for Trade Union Congress,
Nigeria Labour Congress, National Union of Rivers State Students and
Rivers State Students Union Government; and the Fruit Garden
market in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
The
governor stated the administration
allocated the sum of N25, 300,000,000.00 to fund healthcare delivery in the State. He said key projects in the sector will be completed and delivered in 2019.
allocated the sum of N25, 300,000,000.00 to fund healthcare delivery in the State. He said key projects in the sector will be completed and delivered in 2019.
Governor
Wike said his administration will continue to give security of
lives and property all the attention that it deserves in spite of the
obvious lack of cooperation from the Federal Government.
He
said: " The sum of 18,000,000,000.00 has been proposed to fund
all aspects of securing and keeping Rivers State safe, peaceful and
secure, including the operationalization of the recently established
State Neighbourhood Safety Corps programme.
"The
Neighbourhood Safety Corps programme is very dear to us as a
government. Apart from the number of youths that it will employ, the
programme has the potential to enhance our collective security. And
so we are prepared to do whatever it will take to ensure its
implementation in the course of 2019".
Governor
Wike noted that the sum of N4, 350,000,000.00 only has been
proposed for the Law and Justice sector to further strengthen and
enhance the justice delivery system in the State.
For
the recurrent expenditure, Governor Wike proposed to spend as
follows: Personnel Emolument , N79, 585,058,808.60; Overhead
N 17, 025,380,000.00; Pension N 33,000,000,000.00 and
Others N27,511,915,255.55.
Through
the recurrent proposals, Governor Wike accommodated the expected new
minimum wage for the state and the handling of the pension challenges
facing the state.
Governor
Wike said: " With this, the State Government will be in a
position to pay the minimum wage whenever the National Assembly
approves it. We also made provisions for staff promotion arrears and
new recruitments into the State’s civil service.
"The
sum of 33,000,000,000.00 is proposed for the settlement of pension
liabilities. The challenge about the plight of pensioners has
lingered for too long and we are determined to tackle it this time
around. Certainly, our senior citizens deserve better treatment than
what they are presently getting".
The
2019 Rivers State Budget will be financed as follows: Internally
Generated Revenue N120,
492,891,302.00 ,Statutory Allocation
; N73, 169,813,022.00 : 13% oil minerals fund; N145, 070,991,780.00 ;Value Added Tax; N26, 377,628,543.00 ;Refunds ; N27, 337,926,155.08 ;Local Credits; N45, 000,000,000.00 ;International Credits
;N30, 000,000,000.00; Capital receipts; N300, 000,000.00 Exchange gain ;N8, 000,000,000.00 Prior year Balance ; N4, 662,073,844.92: N480, 411,324,647,00
; N73, 169,813,022.00 : 13% oil minerals fund; N145, 070,991,780.00 ;Value Added Tax; N26, 377,628,543.00 ;Refunds ; N27, 337,926,155.08 ;Local Credits; N45, 000,000,000.00 ;International Credits
;N30, 000,000,000.00; Capital receipts; N300, 000,000.00 Exchange gain ;N8, 000,000,000.00 Prior year Balance ; N4, 662,073,844.92: N480, 411,324,647,00
Governor
Wike said for the 2018 Budget as at November 2018, total
revenue receipts from all sources (except internal and external
loans) stood at 288,721,423,336, which represents about 79 per cent
performance on the revenue side with respect to the totally projected
IGR and FAAC receipts for 2018.
The
governor said that the aggregate capital releases to MDAs as at
November 2018 stood at over 65 per cent of the total capital
expenditure.
Governor
Wike said despite inheriting a collapsed economy from the immediate
past APC administration in the state, his administration has revived
the state's economy.
He
said: "We came in with a clear vision and mission: a vision to
repair and renew the promise of our State; a mission to pull our
people from the cesspool of despair and restore our hopes for
brighter future.
"
Three and half years after, we have substantially achieved our
commitments on all directions of human advancement.
Under
our watch, Rivers State has emerged from the brink of economic
disaster to an era of fiscal sustainability. Today, our Gross
Domestic product has increased and our economy is growing at a rate
above the national average and attracting new investments even when
the national economy continues to be weak, wobbly and troubling.
"Under
our guardianship, we have invested at record levels to provide
critical social and economic infrastructure across the State;
especially roads, schools, and health facilities.
In
the process, we created hundreds of thousands of jobs across the
construction value chain".
He
said the 2019 budget is intended to consolidate on the
administration's achievements and enable it to put the State on
an irreversible path to sustainable economic growth and development.
Speaker
of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani said
the House will give the budget the required consideration in the
interest of the state.
He
noted that the House has already approved the Medium Term Expenditure
Framework, which will form the basis of the budget's consideration.
The
budget passed through its first reading after the State Governor laid
the budget on the table.
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