Enugu government partners with FG for modern terminal and rail transport
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Mbaha presents budget of 521.5 billion naira for 2024, allocating 33% to education
The Enugu State Government has reiterated its commitment to work with the Federal Government through the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) and other stakeholders to construct ultra-modern terminals and rail transport in an effort to revamp the transportation system in the state. expressed.
Governor Peter Mba, who disclosed this development, yesterday when he received NRC Managing Director Freeborn Ohilia and his team members at the Government House in Enugu, said that the transformation of the transport sector includes the following intermodal transport systems: It was emphasized that this included. Road, rail and air transport to improve people's standards of living, grow the economy and facilitate business.
Mr. Mba said that to make the project achievable, he observed that the existing transportation system in the state has started making life uncomfortable for residents as most of the infrastructure is dilapidated and creating traffic congestion. He expressed his determination to work towards cooperative solutions.
He said, “Achieving our goals requires collaboration with the federal government. We are doing this for the collective benefit of our people. It would not be right if we refused to do something, because we could simply take such a defeatist approach to development. But as a government, we need to be committed to continuous and never-ending improvement. We realized that there had to be room, and this is the main reason we took the oath of office.
Meanwhile, Mba may have been poised to deliver a $30 billion gross domestic product (GDP) for the state by presenting a budget of over N521.5 billion for the 2024 financial year.
The governor says the budget, his first since taking office in May, is designed to foster growth and create a paradigm shift in the way the state does things.
Tagged as the “Destructive Economic Growth Budget”, it is 132 per cent higher than the revised 2023 budget of 224 billion naira and the highest amount so far by the state government since its return to democracy in 1999. It is.
In presenting the budget to the state parliament for approval yesterday, Mr Mba said the budget would consist of more than N107 billion in recurrent expenditure and N414 billion in capital expenditure, ensuring that the education sector would be part of the government's eradication strategy. He emphasized that this is an important pillar. Assistance to the poor will earn him 134.5 billion naira, which is 33% of the total budget.
He said internally generated revenue would provide N252 billion of the estimated amount while statutory income would provide N60 billion. Surplus crude oil and Value Added Tax (VAT) will provide N16 billion and N44 billion respectively.
Allocation to other sectors showed that Law and Justice received N1.2 billion. Health 21.77 billion naira; Infrastructure (road construction, maintenance and rehabilitation) N82 billion; water sector N28 billion. Agriculture 25 billion Norway etc.
Mbaha maintained that the vision of his administration is to place Enugu State among the top three states in terms of GDP and achieve zero poverty. He said: “Private sector investment is critical to the growth we are trying to achieve. We therefore need to provide the infrastructure, such as roads and electricity, that is needed to facilitate this growth.”
He added that reliance on the Federal Accounting Allocation Committee (FAAC) will not help the administration achieve its objectives. Therefore, new sources of income, including natural resources, will be needed.
The Governor further reflected on the considered 2023 budget, noting that his administration has achieved an ultra-modern water project that will produce 70 million liters of water daily at Nine Mile Corner and various road construction/rehabilitation currently underway. said. situation.
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Source: guardian.ng