By Kamsi Anayo, Awka
Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state, says he would need N250bn to fix major infrastructure in the state.
Soludo said this while assenting to the 2022 revised appropriation budget of N170bn.
Anambra State House of Assembly had on Tuesday passed the budget tagged “Building Off From The Blocks.”
Signing the budget into law, Soludo commended members of the House of Assembly for being diligent, responsible and responsive to their job as lawmakers and representatives of the people of the state.
He canvassed stronger synergy between the legislative and other arms of government at all levels.
Soludo said, “The patriotic and responsive manner the budget was passed by the State House of Assembly is not only commendable but signalled the birth of a new partnership for a greater Anambra.
“There was no underhand dealings in signing the budget rather the process was conducted with intergrity, patriotism and responsiveness.”
The governor said in his campaign manifesto, N250bn was estimated as the amount required to build critical infrastructure towards the realisation of a livable and prosperous homeland in the state.
He lamented that the resources at government disposal were abysmally lean as well as the earnings from the oil sector which had also become so low.
Consequently, the Governor said the government was left with no other options than to deploy multiple strategies including taking a look at the state’s expenditure and introducing prudence in the management of available funds.
He stated that as part of the measures to improve government finances, efforts were being made to digitise the Internally Generated Revenue of the state to eliminate leakages.
He said in the interim, his administration had decided to borrow N100bn as Anambra people would not wait.
He stressed that the government would not spend the whole amount this year.
He maintained that the loan would be used for critical infrastructural development particularly in building roads, bridges etc.
He added that there would be absolute prudence in making sure Anambra people get value for the money borrowed saying every kobo would be judiciously used to create wealth that would benefit the people of the state.
