Anambra : Soludo Priotises Security, Health in N170bn Budget

By James Orji

Professor Charles Soludo,  Anambra State Governor, has assured the people of the State that his administration is poised to impact on their lives despite inheriting an empty treasury.

Soludo  had recently lamented that his predecessor, Willy Obino, left nothing in the Government coffers.

In spite of this, the former CBN Governor said he’s undaunted and will press on to deliver his campaign promises to the people of the State.

The Governor disclosed this while presenting a- N170 billion 2022 Revised Budget to the State House of Assembly, more than N28 billion of the N142 billion earlier presented by his predecessor.

“The purpose of the 2022 revised budget is to reflect current realities, challenges, and priorities of the new administration and Ndi Anambra. We are undaunted by the State of the treasury.

“We have seriously started reforming our system of tax administration to significantly ramp up our internally generated revenue over the coming years. The purpose of the 2022 revised budget is to reflect current realities, challenges, and priorities of the new administration and Ndi Anambra. We are undaunted by the state of the treasury,” Soludo told the assembly on Wednesday.

The breakdown of the Budget indicates that, capital expenditure has been increased from N81 billion to N108 billion, while recurrent expenditure increased from the N60 billion proposed by Governor Obiano.

Governor Soludo said his administration will priotise security and reform the current tax system in the state.

According to him, “We have seriously started reforming our system of tax administration to significantly ramp up our internally generated revenue over the coming years.

“Among the challenges, we inherited, a red treasury and pervasive insecurity, especially with criminals taking the seven Local Governments of the South Senatorial zone hostage, were the most acute.

“We have chosen to confront the foundational issue of security head-on and expected that those profiting from the lucrative criminal enterprise would viciously fight back, and they have.

“Suffice it to say that so far, so good. They are testing our will and resolve. Let me assure you this: Anambra will win.”

In spite of the daunting security challenges facing the state, the Governor said he remained undaunted, noting that his Government will ensure the provision of good service delivery to his people.

Soludo said: “In the meantime, the dire needs of Ndi Anambra and our transformation agenda cannot wait. We are working on a mixture of financing options, including debt that is ring-fenced to fund bankable projects and/or infrastructure with impacts on the economy, to guarantee efficient and effective service delivery to our people while ensuring fiscal sustainability over the medium to longer terms.

“As a reflection of our agenda, about 60% of the capital expenditure is targeted at delivering infrastructure that the average citizen can feel, see, use or touch and which have the highest developmental impact within the shortest possible time.

“For example, we have declared a state of emergency on rebuilding our road infrastructure and traffic management. About N52 billion or 31% of the total budget is for the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and we intend to simultaneously invest in roads in most of the local governments, paying special attention to our urban regeneration agenda.

“We have requested the Federal Government to kindly intervene on emergency basis on a number of federal roads in the state that have become nightmarish death traps. We confidently expect their urgent responsive action.

“But in the event that the expected response does not come soon, we may have to implement urgent palliatives in some places, especially at Amansea; Ekwulobia- Igboukwu- Nnobi road; Ogidi; etc where the roads are literally cutting off.

“We plan to recruit qualified medical doctors and nurses for our general hospitals and upscale the infrastructure in selected ones.

“We have already received over 26,000 applications in response to our advertisement to recruit and train teachers for our primary and secondary schools,” the governor said.