Enugu State Government has allocated over N320.6 billion; (more than 30%), of it’s N971,084,000. 00 , 2025 fiscal budget,, themed ” Exponential growth and inclusive prosperity”, to education.
Pix: Commissioner for budget and planning, Chris -Roberts Ozongwu
The government earmarked N100 billion for construction of 200 Integrated Model Smart School, comprising 3 classrooms blocks for Nursery, 6 for Primary and 6 for Junior secondary in the 250 political wards in the 17 Local Government area of the state.
Commissioner for budget and planning, Chris -Roberts Ozongwu made this known to Newsmen during the 2025 budget breakdown held Thursday, at the Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi NUJ Press Center, Enugu
He said N146 billion was for equipping of the Smart school across the 260 political wards, N10. 7 billion for upgrading of 3 public secondary schools to Smart High Secondary schools ( structure)1 in each of the 3 senatorial zones , N10 billion for construction of Smart Senior secondary schools, N1 billion for upgrading of campuses of Awgu and Oji River Nursing schools with new facilities, N500million. For first phase construction of 3 storey building for standard library auditorium and classrooms at Awgu campuses.
Speaking further Ozongwu said for health, the government earmarked a sum of N20 billion for construction of Enugu International Hospital, Rangers Avenue; and N500 million for establishment of Enugu Blood Service Commission (Construction of building, furnishing and equipping).
He said, “the government earmarked N10 billion for construction of 230 Type-2 Primary Health Care facilities across the state and another N4 billion for equipping of the 229 Type-2 Primary Health Care facilities across the state. “
“The government also earmarked N350 million for construction of two storey building at Iji-Nike (ESUT Teaching Hospital Parklane) and earmarked N1.7 billion for purchase of hospital equipment for General Surgery/other instruments across cottage and general hospitals in the state.
“The government intends to upgrade/renovate 10 cottage hospitals and 12 general hospitals at N1.5 billion among others,” he said.
The commissioner said , for the transport sector, the government earmarked N1 billion for vehicle tracking system through a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) agreement; and earmarked N2 billion for procurement of 2000 taxis for youths empowerment scheme.
Ozongwu noted that the government would spend N2 billion for equity contribution for additional 100 buses for the intra-city mass transit concession and earmarked N5 billion for procurement of 200 tipper trucks for mining.
He said the government will spend N1.2 billion for construction of ultra modern logistics hub; N1.6 billion for construction of one transport interchange via PPP and N1 billion for provision of traffic signage/road marking.
The Commissioner also gave breakdown on other sectors, which included Agriculture (over N75.5billion), , tourism,(over N2455 billion) water( N19 billion), electricity( N2.5billion), energy and mineral resources,(N12billion) housing( N19 billion) youth and sports ( Over N13.2 billion) among others
He said the 2025 budget estimate was over N450 billion higher than the 2024 budget of N521.5 billion representing 86.4 per cent increase.
According to him, the 2025 budget will serve as policy, financial tool that reflects the vision and mission of Governor Peter Mbah ‘s agenda or objective..
He added that the budget policy was aligned to Enugu state’s mission to deliver quality, people focused governance by making Enugu the preferred destination for investment , business, tourism and living as well as the state’s vision to make Enugu one of the top 3 States in Nigeria in terms of gross domestic product and to achieve a zero percent rate in the poverty headcount index, development agenda and the sector medium term strategic plans.
Ozongwu recalled that the State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah on Tuesday, November 26Th, unveiled a total budget of N971,084,000,000,000( Nine hundred and eighty- four billion, eighty- million niata for 2025 fiscal year, themed ,” Exponential growth and inclusive prosperity”.
Pix: NUJ chairman, Comrade Sam Udekwe
He explained that the theme was intended to enhance economic growth and development of the state , which will be broadly shared across sectors, wards of the state to improve the living standard of citizens, as well as ensuring rising prosperity and opportunity across the nooks and crannies of the state
Giving a run down of the 2024 budget performance, Ozongwu said the 2024 budget , which was in the tune of N521billion marked the first full year budget of Governor Mbah. Out of that amount , N107 billion was earmarked for recurrent expenditure, and N414 billion was approved for capital expenditure.
On budgetary performance, the total revenue realized as at October was N459, 851,309,396.47, giving a budget performance of 88% our of which N178,354,494,502. 47 related to statutory receipts while N136,700,000,000.0 and N76,546,080,116.180 related to capital receipts and N144,796,814,894,00 to internally generated revenue..
Pix: Commissioner for Agriculture, Patrick Ubru
He said as at October, the money was applied to expenditure with N382,427,939,564,00 as capital expenditure, which translated to a budget performance of 88%.
The commissioner said the 2024 budget had achieved 92.6 per cent success, adding that “this is remarkable and unprecedented achievement compared to any budget in the country.
The Commissioner expressed optimism that , despite the current economic challenges facing the country, , with the support of the people of the state, the the objectives and targets of the 2025 budget will will be realized.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama