Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi recently presented the 2022 budget proposal tagged Budget of Sustained Growth And Consolidation to members of Enugu State House of Assembly amidst commendations, optimisms and great expectations.
Major takeaways from the N186.64 billion budget estimate is that
it is 9.9% higher than the 2021 budget. Out of the total budget size, the sum of N71,477,449,812.00, representing 38% of the total budget is for Recurrent Expenditure while the sum of N115,157,685,770.00 is for Capital Expenditure, representing 62% of the budget size.
The projections for the 2022 Budget were founded on the economic and fiscal updates of “National Inflation Rate of 13%; National Real GDP Growth of 4.2%; Oil Production Benchmark of 1.88 million barrels per day; Oil Price Benchmark of $57 per barrel and Exchange Rate of N410.15 per US Dollar”.
According to Governor Ugwuanyi, the key deliverables of the 2022 Capital Budget include completion of all ongoing projects; purchase of tractors and other agricultural equipment to assist mechanized farming in the state; provision of agricultural inputs, infrastructure and upgrading of wet markets for production and enhanced food processing (NG-CARES); using the Agro processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) for Capacity Building, Women/Youth Empowerment, and Development of Farmers' Aggregation and Processing Centres; purchase of Waste Disposal Compactor Trucks and dumpsters to enhance cleanliness in the state and launch of the 4th edition of Traders Empowerment scheme for 57 major urban and rural markets in Enugu State.
Others include the establishment of facility centers for industrial processing of value chain for palm oil, cassava and cashew nut in Enugu State; construction of Ibagwa – Itchi, Iheaka – Iheakpu-Awka Roads in Igbo Eze South Local Government Area; rehabilitation of Agbani Road-Police College-Gariki Flyover Road (By Port Harcourt Expressway); construction of Bridges/River crossings over Ogurugu River, Adada River and River Obinna in Uzo-Uwani LGA, Ike River in Aninri LGA, Ogbafun River, Agu Idume in Nkanu East LGA amongst others; rehabilitation of basic schools across the 17 LGAs of the State; construction of Type III Primary Healthcare facilities in Oji River, Awgu and Aninri LGAs; completion of ongoing key infrastructure for the take-off of College of Medicine and Teaching Hospital, Enugu State University of Science & Technology, Igbo Eno; and drilling, rehabilitation and reticulation of Water boreholes in communities across the state, rehabilitation and upgrading of recreational Parks (Eze, Onwudiwe and Coal Camp); upgrading and improvement of Enugu Urban Water Supply and Distribution System through the AFD-funded 3rd National Urban Water Sector Reform Project (3rd NUWSRP); construction of Court buildings to include three (3) High Court buildings in three (3) Judicial divisions - Udi, Orba and Amagunze, six (6) Magistrate Courts buildings in Amechi Idodo, Nike, Orba, Nara, Ozalla and Awhum, Enugu State; perimeter Fencing, Landscaping and Furnishing of thirty-four (34) Customary Courts already built across the State; bulk Purchase of Electricity Distribution Transformers (500KVA and 300KVA) to upgrade and replace the failed ones in the rural communities of the State; construction of Oji River Township Stadium, Oji River LGA, and establishment of additional Enugu State Technology Hub and Innovation Centre at 9th Mile, Udi LGA.
The 2022 budget is indeed that of sustained growth and Consolidation. The Governor knowing full well that his second tenure is nearing completion didn't built castle in air by proposing for overambitious white elephant projects at twilight of his administration in the face of paucity of fund. This is because government is a continuum.
Governor Ugwuanyi concentrated the budget proposal on completion of the numerous legacy projects of his administration that include the ongoing first flyover bridge at the popular T- junction along Nike road, the nearing-completion ESUT Teaching hospital at Igbo-ano and others.
Governor Ugwuanyi further proposed for the provision of basic amenities such as electricity, potable water and others in urban and rural communities to make life comfortable for all Enugu residents and indigenes.
The budget proposal is people-oriented, realistic, implementable and life impacting.