DELTA 2024 BUDGET WILL SUCCEED WHERE OTHERS FAILED – Ekedayen

Delta State Government has proposed to send N714.4bn in the 2024 fiscal year.

The proposed budget, the first of the present administration, was laid at the table in the hallowed chamber of the Delta State House of Assembly on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, after the budget speech of the State Governor, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.

Christened “Budget of Hope and Optimism”, the financial document comprised of N316.6bn provision for recurrent expenditure and N397.9bn for capital expenditure.

Speaking to Journalists shortly after the presentation, the State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sonny Ekedayen, said the main thrust of the budget was to sustain the good work already started by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

Mr. Ekedayen revealed that there would be massive infrastructural development across the state, adding that new towns would be opened in the Asaba and Warri axes of the state, while social investment would be enhance to move as many Deltans as possible away from the poverty benchmark, just as agriculture would be given prominence so that the state could fight inflation with food security.

He further stated that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) would be offered funding window where they could access loans on a single digit interest rate to reduce the effect of inflation on their working capital.

Mr. Ekedayen said the 2024 budget would be strictly monitored to ensure that any money released was accounted for, pointing out that the Ministry of Economic Planning would soon announce telephone numbers with which Deltans could send text or WhatsApp messages (with pictures or videos) on the performance of projects being executed in their localities.

On budget performance, he said the Governor had signed performance bond with the Commissioners, which meant that they would all strive not to fail, assuring that accessing their budgetary allocations would not be a problem because without funding the set targets would not be achieved.

The Commissioner solicited the patience and support of Deltans for the Oborevwori administration, assuring that the Governor would make the desired impact in all sectors of the state’s economy.