Etsako West Budgets N2.819b For 2012

AUCHI- Appropriation bill of N2.819 billion proposed by Etsako West local government for the 2012 fiscal year has been formerly presented to the Legislative Assembly of the council for consideration and assent.

Christened budget of consolidation, this year’s estimates showed an increase of N194.3 million over the 2011 budget.

Of the total estimates, the sum of N1.1 billion naira representing 39.1percent is proposed as recurrent expenditure while the proposed capital is put at N1.7 billion.

Chairman of the council, Dr. Bruno Oshionebo at the presentation ceremony, explained that the high recurrent expenditure component was largely due to the implementation of the new minimum wage and the need to make provision for emolument of staff to be engaged in the first quarter of this year.

A sectoral breakdown of the budget showed that social sector had the highest allocation N937,765,144.50 representig 54.14 per cent performance follwoed by economic sector which has the sum of N422,800,000; Environmental N194,000,000, General Administration N148,000,000 while miscellaneous has N29,395,796.92.

Dr. Oshionebo explained that the emphasis on the social sector was due to administration’s policy thrust whilst education has the lion share of the capital budget to enable the construction of additional schools and sustain efforts to restore standard.

The council boss also spoke of the council’s intention to vigorously pursue its health programmes, sink boreholes, construct underground water tanks in selected communities and public schools as well as maintain existing ones.

While expressing appreciation to the members of the legislative arm of the council for their support in the determination to providing purposeful leadership to the people, Dr. Oshionebo also thanked the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for giving them the opportunity to be part of what he called, historic effort at transforming Edo State”.

He also used the medium to canvass support for the Comrade Governor in the July guber race, pointing out that it needed no telling that there was need for continuity to enable completion of all on-going projects.