Alia presents over N225bn 2024 appropriation bill to Benue Assembly

By Titus Atondu, Makurdi

Benue State Governor,  Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia  has presented 2024 budget estimate of  over N225 billion to the Benue State House of Assembly for consideration.

Alia while presenting the budget estimate at the  floor of the State House of Assembly, explained that the estimate was based on assumption of exchange rate of  N750 Naira per Dollar and the benchmark oil price of 65 Dollars with recurrent expenditure of over N110billion while capital expenditure stood at over N115 billion Naira.

According to him, the estimate which is tagged “Budget of Infrastructure Development, Job Creation and Poverty Alleviation,”  Alia  further explained that he would provide reliable renewable energy across the local communities in the state and create job opportunities for Benue youth by investing in education and other critical sectors.

The Governor  stated that a significant portion of the budget would be allocated to infrastructure development across the state and to implement measures to alleviate poverty in the society and human capital development of the state .

He stated that he would transform the agriculture sector of the state to improve the economy of Benue state and the citizens and promised to explore other ways of improving internally generated revenue by diversifying the revenue base of the state.

Alia  assured that he would ensure prudent management of resources and avoid borrowing, except the situation become too tight for the Government to bear, saying the budget would ensure the establishment of cottage industries to help boost the economy of the state.

The Governor also stated his resolve to upgrade one general hospital each in the three Senatorial Districts to a tertiary hospital to serve the medical needs of the people and expressed hope that members of the 10th Benue Assembly would ensure accelerated passage of the budget estimate for the speedy development of Benue state.