The Executive Chairman of Aniocha North Local Government, Delta State, Hon. Kevin Okwechime said his administration has proposed to spend a total of N4, 788,909.78 for the 2022 fiscal year.
Hon. Okwechime made this known on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 while presenting his administration’s 2022 draft estimate to the Legislative Arm of the Local Government at its resumed sitting presided over by the Leader, Hon Chukwunwike Okonkwo at Issele-Uku.
The Council boss was accompanied to the event by the Vice Chairman, Hon. Princess Tina Amuamuziam, the Secretary to the Local Government, Hon Uche Chiejina, Supervisors of the Local Government as well as the Head of Personnel Management, HPM, Dr. Mrs Patricia Dede and Treasurer to the Council, Mrs Victoria Fregene amongst others.
Presenting the draft estimate, Hon. Okwechime said that a review of the 2021 budget of the Local Government showed a reasonable budget performance, saying it could have been better if not for the dwindling Federal Allocation occasioned by the shortage in the remittance of revenue from the oil sector.
He however noted that the economy witnessed a marginal stability within the year under review basically due to the increased revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) and other sources.
“In view of the above, I hereby present to the Honourable House, the 2022 Draft Estimate of the Sum of Four Billion, Seven Hundred and Eighty-Eight Million, Nine Hundred and Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred and Nine Naira, Seventy-Eight Kobo (N4,788,907,909,78).
“It is our hope that the performance which was constrained by lack of revenue last year will be better this year. In the light of the above, we wish to consolidate on our usual plans, thus this Budget is christened the, “Budget of Consolidation,’ the Council Chairman stated.
According to the Chairman, the Sum of Three billion, Seven Hundred and Seventy-Seven Million, Five Hundred and Nine Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ten Naira, Eight Kobo (N3, 777,509,810.08) representing Ninety-Nine Point Ninety-Seven Percent (99.97%) is being expected from Statutory Allocation from the Federal Government, while Sixty Seven Million, One Hundred and Eighteen Thousand Naira is being projected to come from Internally Generated Revenue, representing Zero Point Zero Three Percent (0.03%) of the total draft Estimate.
He said that the recurrent expenditure is expected to gulp Two Billion, Eight Hundred and Nineteen Million, Eight Hundred and Seventeen Thousand, Nine Hundred and Nine Naira Seventy Eight Kobo (N2,819, 817, 909.78) representing Seventy-Five Percent (75%) while One Billion, Nine Hundred and Sixty Nine Million, Ninety Thousand Naira (1,969,090,000.00) representing Twenty-Five Percent (25%) is expected to be expended on Capital expenditure.
While revealing that the deficit is expected to be funded by domestic borrowing with the approval of the Legislative arm, Hon Okwechime appealed for the accelerated passage of the Draft Estimate.
The Draft Estimate was accepted as a working document of the House upon a motion to that effect moved by the Majority Leader of the Legislative Arm, Hon. Ernest Azonuche, seconded by Hon. Sije Nwabude, Councilor for Ward 7, Issele-uku.
Responding on behalf of his colleague, the Leader of the Legislative Arm, Hon. Chukwunwike Okonkwo promised the House readiness to work on the Draft Estimate within a reasonable period of time to enable the Local Government carry on with its laudable projects for the benefit of the people of the Local Government.
