Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, yesterday, signed the 2024 appropriation bill of N489,443,632,374 into law.
The budget titled, ‘Budget of Sustainable and Shared Prosperity,’ was signed in the Government House, Yenagoa.
This figure represents an increase of N8.450 billion from the earlier N480,993,632,369 the governor presented to the House of Assembly for consideration on November 29, 2023.
His Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, quoted Diri as saying that the budget prioritises key sectors like education, infrastructure, healthcare delivery and agriculture.
He expressed optimism that a careful implementation of the budget would improve the living conditions of the people, addressing rural and urban poverty.
He said: “To realise our vision of sustainable and shared prosperity, we have carefully crafted this budget to prioritise key sectors aimed at improving our infrastructure, expanding access to mass education with emphasis on technical, science and vocational manpower development. It will also enhance healthcare services, and promote agriculture as a means of creating employment opportunities and reducing poverty.
“You recall that I presented a budget proposal of N480,993,632,369 to the state Assembly. But I observed an upward review to the tune of N489,443,632,374, which gives us a difference of N8,450,000,000 to provide more funding for the construction of an ultra-modern stadium, ultra-modern renal centre at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, the construction of an administrative block for the Primary Health Care Board and other critical overhead expenses.
“Having adopted the bottom-top approach in the preparation of this budget, specific rural community needs are being prioritised. It is our intention to ensure that the benefits of this budget are felt by all. We will work tirelessly to bridge the gap between the urban and rural areas to reduce the menace of urban poverty.”
Earlier, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, stated that a slight upward review was made on the budget proposal of the governor to meet the current economic realities in the country.
He appreciated the governor for presenting an all-inclusive budget that captured the economic realities and yearnings of the people.
Ingobere said the approved budget has significant increase in the proposed capital and recurrent expenditure in consideration of current realities in the state and country.
