Wike Proposes N530.8 bn Budget for 2020 to State Assembly

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has presented a budget proposal of N530,813,357,619.00  for the 2020 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly for consideration and passage.

He christened the 2020 Budget of Rivers State: “Budget of “Reassurance, profound impact for inclusive growth and shared prosperity”.

The proposed budget is N50.8 billion higher than the N480 billion budgeted for 2019.

Presenting the 2020 Budget Proposal to the Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday, Wike said the budget is made up of  N156,659,436569.00 recurrent expenditure and N374,153,920,743.00 capital expenditure.

His words: "The capital expenditure for 2020 is estimated to be N374, 153,920,743.00, which constitutes nearly 70 per cent of the total budget. The summary of sectorial allocations of the capital expenditure are as follows: Administrative sector -            15, 061,008,000.00; Economic sector - 136, 444,523,766.60;    Law and Justice - 2, 400,000,000.00; Social sector -                138, 558,553,322.35; Special Head - 57, 367,124,462.05 and Loan repayments - 24,322,731,192.00.

He said, “The substantial increase in capital over recurrent expenditure, once again reflects and underscores our commitment to direct more resources to the growth and productive sectors of our economy.

“This Administration is poised to fulfill every promise it made to our people. Consequently, various expenditure portfolios have been allocated to all the relevant MDAs to fund capital expenditures and deliver physical and socio-economic infrastructure and development for our people."

The Highpoint of the recurrent expenditure is the allocation of funds for the new minimum wage and the recruitment of new employees.

"The sum of N70,227,748,472.32 is earmarked for salaries and wages; N8,000,000,000.00 for the new minimum wage, while N18,429,375,634.45 is for overheads.

  " Also, N5,000,000,000.00 is set aside for new recruitments, N3,000,000,000.00 as counterpart fund for pensions, N900,000,000.00 for death benefits and N33,176,728,931.33 as monthly pensions and gratuities. Government has also provided over N400,000,000.00 as counterpart contributions for donor programmes", he said.

Wike stated that the sum of N93,968,823,766.60 has been provided for the Ministry of Works to continue to fund the strategic road development programme for 2020. He said several roads are under construction, but the State Government is committed to delivering some key roads by the end of 2020.

The roads include: Kira – Sakpenwa – Bori – Kono road linking Gokana Tai, and Khana Local Government Areas; Andoni - Opobo Unity road linking Opobo/Nkoro and Andoni Local Government Areas; Abonnema Ring Road in Akuku Toru Local Government Area, Isiokpo internal roads in Ikwerre Local Government Area; Rumuekini – Aluu road linking Obio/Akpor and Ikwerre Local Government Area

·        Rumuepirikom internal roads in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area

·        Rumuakunde and Isiodu roads in Emohua Local Government Area;

·        Akaer Base road, Rumuolumeni in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area

·        Expansion of Nzimiro, Herbert Macaulay, Amassoma and other sundry streets within Amadi Flats, old GRA, Port Harcourt

·        Eteo – Sime – Nonwa – Kira road linking Tai and Eleme Local; Government Areas; Eleme – Afam road linikng Eleme and Oyigbo Local Government Areas; Rumuji – Ibaa – obele – isiokpo road; and Omoku – Egbema road dualization in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, among others.

He also listed the Rebisi Flyover in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area; Okoro-Nu-Odo Flyover at Obio/Akpor Local Government Area; and the Rumuogba Flyover at Obio/Akpor Local Government Area; as well as the expansion of Ikwerre road from Education Bus stop to Igwuruta sections, spanning Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor and Ikwerrre Local Government Areas; and phase one of the Trans-Kalabari road network.

The governor proposed the sum of N49.471 billion to fund the education sector for 2020.

He said: "This sum represents 20 per cent of the total budget and is the highest ever budgetary allocation to education, reflecting the level of our commitment to investing in the future of our children.

"In 2020, we will continue to ensure the systematic rehabilitation, upgrade and transformation of our primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and build new ones where the population demands to deliver a more conducive learning environment across schools in Rivers State,” he said.

The governor also said his administration intends to create not less than 500,000 jobs for the youths in 2020 while a combined sum of N16 billion has been allocated to the Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Empowerment and Employment Generation, Youths, Sports, and Women Affairs to initiate, coordinate and implement appropriate programmes for poverty eradication, job creation and empowerment for youths and women.