Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevweri, yesterday, presented a budget proposal of N936.07 billion to the State House of Assembly to execute projects and programmes in the 2025 fiscal year.
   
Presenting the budget before the Assembly with visiting Bayelsa House of Assembly members, Oborevweri stated that the amount was made up of N348,717,758,635 as recurrent expenditure or 37.25 per cent, and a capital expenditure of N587,361,060,084 or 62.75 per cent.    
   
According to the governor, the 2025 budget with the theme, “Budget of Fiscal Consolidation,” is N211 billion more than the 2024 approved sum of N725 billion, indicating an increase of 29 per cent.
   
“The increase was largely because of the realignment of the exchange rate, which resulted in higher FAAC allocations and associated revenues.
   
“This is in addition to a corresponding improvement in our internally generated revenues in the year,” the governor added.  He said the recurrent expenditure of N348,717,758,635 is being proposed to meet the government’s financial obligations on salaries, wages and the day-to-day running of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government in the 2025 fiscal year.

For the capital expenditure, the governor earmarked N587,361,060,084.00, representing 62.75 per cent of the total budget, saying that it would be for infrastructural development, acquisition of assets, and investments in human capital.
  
The increase in allocation to capital expenditure over the 2024 appropriation, the governor explained, underscores the government’s commitment to channel more resources to the growth and productive sectors of the state economy.
  
The governor earmarked N230 billion for roads, N67.42 for education, and N30.55 for health, while N11.03 billion and N7 billion were budgeted for water and agriculture.

MEANWHILE, the Delta State House of Assembly has passed the Electricity Power Sector Bill, 2024, into law.The executive bill was passed on Wednesday after its third reading during a plenary presided over by Speaker, Dennis Guwor.

The House Majority Leader, Emeka Nwaobi, had earlier moved a motion to suspend Order 12, Rules 79-83 of the Assembly’s standing rules to allow for the third reading and passage of the bill.

The motion, seconded by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) member, Frank Esenwah, representing Oshimili North Constituency, was unanimously adopted when put to a voice vote by the Speaker.