Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Friday evening presented a budget proposal
of N137,026,528.434 for the 2014 fiscal year for the state.
Presenting the Budget, which he tagged “Budget of consolidating
Rescue,” the governor said while N75,271,768,434 is for Capital projects, N61,383,872,587 takes care of Recurrent Expenditure
Dwelling on the major highlights of the capital expenditure, he said
that the economic sector which is made up of agriculture, commerce and
industry, works and housing, transport and tourism, public utilities,
lands and road development has a total allocation of N45,989,614,100.
The State Government he said has a proposal to spend N671,614,100 on
town and country planning survey and community development and would
continue the revenue of Owerri master plan, pay compensation to land
owners whose lands were acquired long ago and also those acquired
recently.
While the sum of N3b was proposed for culture and tourism, the social
services sector which include: Education, Health, Information, Women
Affairs and Youth and Sports developments has a budget projection of
N14..16billion, just as general administration has budgetary provision
of N15.48billion
In the 24- budget speech, the governor said that his administration
would in the year establish a state wide Information Communication
Technology (ICT) faculty network linking the state capital Owerri
with the 27 LGAs in the state.
This, he said would commence in the first quarter of the year with
Owerri taking the lead.
The governor who also disclosed to establish multi-level car parks at
different locations in the state capital to decongest the city assured
that the state government would consolidate on the existing programes
and projects were towards the beautification of the state capital and
the new cities in the 2014 fiscal year.
Governor Okorocha who had earlier who had reviewed the performance of
the 2013 budget and the achievements recorded said that as part of the
drive to sustain the improved Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the
state government shall construct the new sub treasuries and revenue
offices where non exist and the rehabilitation of the some existing
one in the state.
Additionally, he said that the state government would invigorate the
process of appointment of judges for the high Court and the Customary
Court of Appeal and would also appoint Customary Court members to fill
the vacant positions.
