Govermor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, on Wednesday, said the 2024 state budget will represent the ”people’s chatter of needs” in the state.
NAN reports that the state government had estimated a total sum of N204 billion for the 2024 budget.
Nwifuru made the remark in Abakaliki at the occasion of the Community-Based Input on Proposed 2024 Budget.
He listed education, works, health and human capital development ministries as his top priorities for the year.
On human capital development, the governor said that the state would embark on engaging citizens in skill acquisition.
“During the year, we will ensure that we capture our people, who have been into hawking in different parts of the country and engage them on various skills.
“Our people also deserve qualitative education and we shall invest enormously in educational sector. We have plans to take no fewer than 300 graduates on scholarship for their master’s programme. We are going to revamp our primary and secondary school levels.’
Earlier in his analysis, Leonard Uguru, the State Commissioner for Finance, said the state has N132.8 billion for capital budget and N71.3 billion for recurrent budget.
Uguru expressed hope that the state government is on the move to boost its economy and strengthen good governance for the people in 2024.
”Ebonyi state government has proposed about N204 billion for 2024,” he said.
Mr Chidi Igboji, Chairman, Ebonyi chapter of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), on his input, urged the state government to cover workers in its development plans and provide residential accommodation for civil servants.
NAN reports that other organisations, including the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), also pledged their support in ensuring that the government succeeds in 2024.