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By Madu Obi
Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has presented a budget of N410.13 billion for the 2024 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly for approval.
The budget, which is 57.8% higher than the 2023 budget, will focus on infrastructure development, education, and healthcare.
Of the amount, N96.2 billion is for recurrent expenditure, accounting for 23.46% of the total budget, while N313.9 billion is for capital expenditure, accounting for 76.54% of the total budget.
There are significant increases over the last year for allocations for Administration (50.85%), Economy (103.43%), Judiciary (72.9%), Social Sector (60.24%), Education (140.88%), and Health (169.55%).
Addressing the lawmakers, Soludo also announced new initiatives, including the development of three new cities: Awka 2.0, Onitsha 2.0, and iva new Industrial City, the finalization of an industrial master plan and the completion of a railway master plan and feasibility study, the signing of a US$200 million project development, advisory, and financing agreement with Afreximbank, the continued implementation of the Ease of Doing Business initiative, the completion of the Fun City and the construction of a branded international hotel in Awka.
Other initiatives include the aggressive pursuit of urban regeneration, the acceleration of the Clean, Green, Planned, and Sustainable Anambra agenda, the targeting of the dualizing key highways and the modernization of mass transport systems, the creation of a new electricity market, the upgrading of security operations with high technology applications, significant investments in urban and semi-urban water schemes, the provision of 10 or more seedlings such as coconut, palm, ukwa, pawpaw, soursop, among others, to 100,000 households.
The governor emphasized the need for increased Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and called on all residents of Anambra to be patriotic by paying their taxes.
He thanked members of the Solution Team, the legislature, the judiciary, and all stakeholders for their sacrifice in the service of the state.
In his address, the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, commended Governor Soludo's intensified efforts in infrastructure, education, health, and youth empowerment.
According to him, such efforts reveal that Anambra belongs to all, irrespective of political affiliation.
He called on the people of Anambra State to join the governor in taking the state to greater heights.
He also assured the governor of speedy approval of the budget.
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