HON TIMOTHY IFEDIORANMA

On Tuesday, November 3, 2020, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra presented the 2021 budget estimates of the state to the Anambra State House of Assembly. The size of the budget, christened, BUDGET OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND CONSOLIDATION, is one hundred and forty-three point six-five billion naira.

The budget is based on realistic projections of all sources of revenue, both external and internal. While recurrent expenditure is projected to gulp 39.5% of the total budget size, translating to 56.77 billion naira, the remaining 60.5%, which translates to 86.88 billion naira is for capital expenditure.

The budget will, no doubt, help sustain the past performance of the state and ensure that Anambra maintains its status as a hub for business and a destination for new investments. It is commendable that, despite the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other shocks, the Anambra State Government achieved almost fifty percent half year budget performance in 2020.

Governor Obiano, in proposing the 2021 estimates, assumes that Nigeria’s crude oil price benchmark will be thirty-five dollars per barrel with an average daily production of 1.86 million barrels, translating to a projected annual FAAC of 46.7 billion naira as against the 2020 revised figure of 34.4 billion naira.

Internally Generated Revenue is projected at 3.04 billion naira monthly for 2021, compared to the revised actual run rate of 1.16 billion monthly in 2020. The state government plans to achieve this by optimizing its IGR windows without increasing taxes or levies in the coming year.

In 2021, Governor Obiano increased the Personnel costs estimate to 1.47 billion naira to ensure that new hires are accommodated into the civil service, including the replacement of retired teachers and staff promotions.

Roads and Bridges remain a major focus area for the Obiano administration in 2021. It is estimated that out of the 32 billion naira earmarked for roads and bridges, 19.44 billion naira will be spent on the construction of new roads as well as the rehabilitation of existing ones; meaning there will be massive construction and reconstruction of roads next year.

The Governor plans to complete over 50 on-going road projects in the three senatorial zones of the state, as well as construct more roads to open access to agricultural communities and boost food production in the state. The Anambra Road Maintenance Agency (ARMA) will be funded to the tune of 1.2 billion naira for effective road rehabilitation and maintenance in the State.

Meanwhile, 5.8 billion naira has been earmarked for the completion of the proposed Anambra International Airport, Umueri and 500 million naira for the completion of the International Conference Centre, Awka. Similarly, 500 million naira has been earmarked for the development of Sports Stadia in Awka, Ekwulobia and Otuocha.

In agriculture, Governor Obiano plans to continue to support cluster farms in the three senatorial zones of the state on comparative crop advantage basis, so as to empower the youth and women under the Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme and Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme, supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Next year, the state government shall continue its investment in Education with the overall goal of achieving globally competitive education. Thus, five billion naira has been set aside for the sector, including for infrastructure and capacity improvement in state-owned universities, colleges and polytechnics.

3.4 billion naira was allocated to Environment for the establishment of waste management facilities for the procurement of Garbage Moving Equipment as well as the establishment and upgrading of existing Parks and Gardens.

As a listening government, the Obiano administration has set aside 200 million for payments as compensations to those who prove cases of gross human rights violations, torture and deaths from the activities of the defunct SARS in Anambra State. Indeed, Akpokuedike has great regard for Anambra youths. Over 70% of his appointees are youths.

In addition, Obiano believes in the saying that “a healthy nation is a wealthy nation”. Therefore, he has set aside 6.8 billion naira for the health sector to continue the implementation of strategic initiatives that will help fill identified gaps in the health system, which the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and to further improve healthcare delivery in the state.

Above all, Ndi Anambra can attest to the improvement in security, aided by the “Light-Up Anambra Programme” and other rural and urban electrification schemes. As a result, Anambra state government shall, in 2021, sustain the program. Governor Obiano equally promised to continue the ‘’20 Million naira Community-Choose-Your-Project” initiative which has continued to produce impressive results across the 181 communities in the State.

It is not in doubt that the 2021 budget seeks to entrench a new watershed in the development aspirations of Anambra State.  Ndi Anambra are therefore urged to contribute their quota towards successful implementation of the estimates to ensure a sustained and steady advancement of our dear state, the light of the nation.

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