Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Thursday presented a total budget of N936 billion for the 2025 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.

The governor said, “Mr Speaker, I present to you a budget proposal of N936 billion only to execute projects and programmes of government in 2025.”

Mr Oborevwori, while presenting the budget proposal during plenary of the assembly in Asaba, said the budget is christened ‘‘Budget of fiscal consolidation.’’

He said that the budget was made of NN348.7 billion, representing 37.25 % of the budget for recurrent expenditure and the sum of N587 billion, representing 62.75 per cent of the budget as capital expenditure.

He said, ‘‘The 2025 budget is N211 billion more than the 2024 approved sum of N725 billion, indicating an increase of 29 per cent. The increase was largely because of the realignment of the exchange rate, which resulted in higher Federal Allocation Account Committee (FAAC) allocations and associated revenues. This is in addition to a corresponding improvement in our internally generated revenues in the year.’’

Mr Oborevwori also said that the state government would focus on continued provision of physical infrastructure, human capital development, job creation, wealth creation, and poverty reduction in our dear state.

“The state government intends to achieve these through prudent management of our resources and prioritising expenditures on health, education, agriculture, water resources, environment, housing, as well as women and youth empowerment programmes. In 2025, we propose to spend N230 billion on road infrastructure; N67.42 billion on education; health will gulp N30.55 billion; water resources N11.03 billion; and agriculture N7 billion, ” he said.

Mr Oborevwori appealed to the State House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the appropriation bill.

In his remarks, the Speaker, Dennis Guwor, who commended the initiative of Mr Oborevwori, noted that the state had witnessed unprecedented development.

He also commended the governor for continuing and completing inherited projects from previous administrations.

He lauded Mr Oborevwori for his fiscal discipline, which he epitomised in returning over N500 million to the state coffers while serving as speaker and for saving over N14 billion for local government councils across the state.

Mr Guwor, however, called on the governor to institutionalise pre-budget planning parley between the Executive and the Legislature to help balance priorities within available resources.

The speaker also urged ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government to cooperate with the committees of the House during the budget defence sessions to ensure seamless consideration and timely passage of the budget.

Consequently, the majority leader, Emeka Nwaobi, moved a motion for the House to receive the appropriation bill and it was seconded by Marilyn Okowa-Daramola (PDP-Ika North East).

(NAN)