BEING AN ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MR. UDOM EMMANUEL, GOVERNOR, AKWA IBOM STATE ON THE OCCASION OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE 2020 BUDGET PROPOSALS TO AKWA IBOM STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, OCTOBER 8, 2019, HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, UYO

BEING AN ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY,
MR. UDOM EMMANUEL, GOVERNOR, AKWA IBOM
STATE ON THE OCCASION OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE 2020 BUDGET PROPOSALS TO AKWA IBOM STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, OCTOBER 8, 2019,
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, UYO

PROTOCOL

The Right Honourable Speaker
Honourable Principal Officers
Honourable Members of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly

INTRODUCTION

Let me crave your indulgence, before I present to you our Estimates for the Fiscal Year, 2020, to start first by congratulating all of you on the victories recorded at the State Assembly elections last March. You ran a good race, you fought a good fight, you completed the course and you won the confidence of your constituents to continue to represent their interest and speak to their issues and concerns at the 7th Assembly. It could ONLY be GOD who made this possible.

He deserves all the praise for His mercies and kindness towards us. True to His word, He never abandoned us before the election, during the election or after the election. In the midst of all threats of violence and bare-faced intimidation, of the promise of Armageddon, He granted us peace and tranquility. He preserved lives and properties. He answered our fervent prayers and supplications. To Him alone, we ascribe all the glory, honour and praise. ONLY GOD!

I am not unaware that we are still in litigation process but the fact remains that the people of Akwa Ibom state spoke loudly and overwhelmingly on March 9th, and reaffirmed their promise in the Akwa Ibom Project superintended by me, their Servant- Leader. Therefore, our light of progress and development, peace and tranquility will continue to shine even brighter by the day, illuminating the contours of disunity and hatred in our land with the aroma of love, togetherness and brotherhood.

We know that champions do not dwell on past victories, they look forward to new challenges. They seek out new mountains to scale. Champions seek new ways to expand their horizons and deepen their perspectives. The new challenge facing all of us now is sustaining and deepening the confidence which our people have reposed in us, and I dare say that so far, we haven’t betrayed the confidence, even though there is more work to be done.

Distinguished Compatriots some see leadership as an epic poem with rhythm and metaphor, but I see leadership as a journey through the mountains and valleys, seas and rivers, highways and boulevards. But the defining virtue of a good leader is that he has the attitude of Jesus Christ, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame.”

For the joy of serving our people we must endure every cross of difficulties, we must despise every shame, we must endure insults and blackmail, manufactured lies and subterfuge, but we must remain faithful and true to our ONLY GOD and our people in providing honest and selfless service to advance their cause. That, to me, is the true calling and defining ingredient of leadership, and to this, I subscribe.

Therefore, as we bind and heal the wounds of the election, and invoke the Pan Akwa Ibom spirit, let us rise above the sleaze that are daily being thrown into the media space by a tiny percentage of our “nattering nabobs of negativism” to quote the words of former US Vice President, Spiro Agnew and purge our hearts of hatred and animus.

Let us continue to envelop ourselves in brotherly love. Let us knit whatever differences we may entertain in a quilt of unity, and infuse in the consciousness of our people a conviction that the Akwa Ibom Story has symphonies of higher ideals than the drumbeats of our personal desires.

The Right Honourable Speaker let me congratulate you again on the mantle of leadership given to you and your Principal Officers to lead the 7thAssembly. The ancient Italian proverb has it that the right man comes at the right season. You and the crop of leaders we have in this House today have the answers to the challenges of today and you have come at the right season to deepen the partnership between this Hallowed Chamber and the Executive Arm. The right time for us to lift our State and people to a new level of glory and prominence is now and I know you have bought into the fierce urgency of the moment.

To the good people of Akwa Abasi Ibom State who stood by us, believed in us and eventually elected or re-elected us; I say, thank you very much and may the good Lord bless you all. Please be rest assured that we will keep to our campaign promises to the best of our abilities and resources available.

The Right Honourable Speaker and Honourable Members, the Constitution requires that the Executive and the Legislative Arms should liaise and collaborate to provide an effective and efficient road map for development every year. To fulfill this great responsibility, it is my honour to present for your kind consideration The Year 2020 Budget and Fiscal Estimates.

In the last four years, we, by God’s grace, have recorded tremendous achievements in all facets of our lives and made life more meaningful and worth living for our people. This, we did, despite the excruciating economic situation that confronted us.

Mr. Speaker, permit me to now share with this Hallowed Chamber, the Vision, Policies, Programmes and Projects of my Administration and to present for your kind consideration and approval, the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure of Akwa Ibom State Government for the 2020 Fiscal Year in accordance with the provision of section 121 (1) of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution.

The Year 2020 Budget is predicated on the Eight-Point Agenda that forms the policy thrust of my Completion Agenda: Industrialization, Aviation Development, Security, Infrastructure, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, Human Capacity Development, Agriculture, and Rural and Riverine Area Development. These Eight-Point policy thrust rest squarely on our initial Five-Point Agenda that shaped my First Term in office to wit; Job Creation, Poverty Alleviation, Wealth Creation, Economic and Political Inclusion, and Infrastructural Consolidation and Expansion for continuous transformation of the State into an industrialized entity.

REVIEW OF THE PERFORMANACE OF 2019 BUDGET
Mr. Speaker, and Honourable Members, permit me to start with a review of the 2019 Budget. A total of N672.984 billion was approved for 2019 fiscal year. Made up as follows:

Recurrent Expenditure – N97.396 billion
Capital Expenditure – N447.903 billion
Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges – N127.686 billion
Total – N672.985 billion

As at August, 2019 the actual recurrent Revenue collected was N190.660 billion. This was 51% of the budgeted amount. A breakdown of Recurrent Revenue shows that
Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) – N 24.875 billion
Statutory Allocation – N 26.955 billion
Value Added Tax (VAT) – N 8.843 billion
Derivation – N129.987 billion
Total – N190.660 billion

In re-appraising expenditure, a total of N74.692 billion was spent on the recurrent services which include:

Personnel Costs – N26.410 billion
Overhead Costs – N14.330 billion
Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges – N33.952 billion
Total – N74.692 billion

Operating within the framework of the approved Budget and the limits of available resources, we were able to record remarkable achievements in our industrialization drive. We have consolidated the gains of democratic governance and expanded the frontiers of developments across all sectors, in line with our campaign promises.

In the first four years of my administration, in spite of the harsh economic realities we encountered, we remained steady, focused and passionate in our tireless and wholesome devotion to delivering solid democratic dividends to our people.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to reiterate that we came prepared to succeed, to secure our future based on the strength and promise of our blessed State, and the goodness of heart and ingenuity of our people. Together, we have done this in a spectacular fashion. We have won accolades and commendations all over the nation.

Where others saw despair, we saw hope; where others saw challenges, we saw opportunities. Where others were bent by the enormity of problems they faced, we stood ramrod straight, shoulders high, and provided solutions to ease the pains of our people.

It is only through the grace of our ONLY God and His abiding faith in our collective enterprise that we had achieved the following, amongst others, in my First Term in office:

ROADS AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE
 Over 1000km of roads, including 40 bridges, have either been
commissioned or are at various stages of completion in the three senatorial districts in the State.
 Completion of the State Secretariat Annex
 Erosion Control at Etim Umana, Uyo
 Construction of a 2nd Airport Runway
 Upgrade of the Airport main Runway to category 2
 Construction of an underground drainage to control flood at
Nsikak Eduok Avenue, Uyo
 On-going construction of a 21-Storey Intelligent modern office
complex.
 Renovation of 85 flats at Wellington Bassey Army Barrack
 Eket Urban Remodelling Project
 On-going Construction of a befitting International Worship
Centre for the State.
 Construction of fly over at Ikot Oku Ikono junction in Uyo has
commenced
 Construction of ring road phase II linking Aka, Oron and
Nwaniba roads, by university of Uyo permanent site has
commenced.
 Construction of a befitting Traditional Rulers’ Chamber will
commence soon
 Reactivation and provision of more street lights around Uyo
metropolis in addition to other beautification projects

EDUCATION
Recently, we had our first Education Summit where critical issues affecting the sector were addressed and solutions proffered. We remain dedicate to ensuring that our children are prepared and made ready for the challenges of the 21st Century world. To achieve this, we will continue to maintain:
 Free and compulsory basic education in public schools
 Take-over of 17 community secondary schools
 Strategic intervention in tertiary institutions – construction of roads, equipment, academic blocks, etc.
 Procurement and distribution of free text books and other educational materials.
 Payment of subventions to public primary and secondary schools
 Construction & renovation of 1,400 school blocks
 Provision of over 20,630 dual-desks to public desks to public schools
 Construction of 10Nos computer laboratories with internet facilities in secondary schools across the 10 Federal constituencies
 Facilitated the establishment of Command Secondary School, Efa, Etinan
 Facilitated the establishment of Nigerian Navy Military school, Ikot Ntuen, Ekparakwa, Oruk Anam LGA
 Provision of Modular classrooms
 Upgrading of Akwa Ibom State College of Arts and Science, Nung Ukim, Ikono LGA to College of Arts and Science and Technology
 Upgrade of the college of Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nist, Nsit Ubuim LGA to a degree awarding institution
 Payment of over N600 million WAEC fees for indigenes in public secondary schools annually.

INDUSTRIALIZATION
Over 16 industries have been established within the last four
years, most are fully operational, while others are at various stages
of completion. Permit me to list some of them:
 The Syringe Manufacturing Factory [The largest in Africa] is in full operations
 Kings Flour Mill, fully operational and recently commissioned by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN (GCON)
 Plywood and timber making factory, fully operational and also recently commissioned by the vice President
 The Electric Digital Metering Solutions Manufacturing Factory is in full operation.
 The pencil Factory and Toothpick factories are in full operations
 Rice Mill and Cassava processing mills
 Fish processing mill
 Ibom deep Seaport (on-going)
 Resuscitation of Peacock Paint Industry
 Coconut Refinery work currently on-going
 A Plastic Manufacturing Factory has been commissioned and is in full operation
 AKEES Mini-Industrial Park has been established
 The fertilizer Blending Factory has been commissioned and is in full productions.

IBOM DEEP SEA PORT DEVELOPMENT
The activities and regulatory processes towards the development of the Ibom Deep Sea Port is on-going, and, with God on our side, the Ibom Deep Sea Port will be operational within the lifespan of our Second Term in office.

MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND WORKERS’ WELFARE
Our strides in this area include:
 Payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities to retired workers
 Regular and prompt payment of salaries and entitlement to public servants.
 Release of backlog of promotion
 Implementation of immediate switch-over from salary payroll to pension payroll system for retirees.
 Appointment of 38 new Permanent Secretaries between 2016-2019
 Training of public servants for effective service delivery.
 Recruitment of 5,800 Teachers into the Education Sector (Primary and Secondary School Teachers, Polytechnic and College of Education Lecturers as well as well as into other critical areas).

AGRICULTURE
With respect to agriculture;
 We have embarked on the development of 11,000 hectares of coconut plantation.
 We have cultivated 1,600 hectares of cassava plantation in 15 LGAs.
 We have registered 4,920 rice farmers in the State.
 We have trained 450 youths on cocoa maintenance.
 We have provided subsidized fertilizers, oil palm and cocoa seedlings
 Akwa prime hatchery is producing 10,000 day old chicks weekly.
 We have given free improved corn seedlings to farmers.
 We have cultivated various vegetables in Greenhouses for commercial use.
 We have cultivated over 100 hectares of rice through Ibom Agricom Farms Ltd, which is also running the rice processing factory
 We have cultivated about 2,100 hectares of cassava in partnership with World Bank under FADAMA III Additional financing project, using farmers’ co-operative societies.
 We have commenced the construction of 33No. Cassava Micro-Processing Mills.
 We have commenced the training of 300 youth under the Graduate Unemployment Youth Scheme (GUYS).
 We have constructed 1No. Tractor Hiring Enterprise (AEHE) centre with 4 No. Tractors, and 14 No. Implements delivered. Suffice it to say that so far 75hectares of farmland have been ploughed, harrowed and ridged through the Centre.

Still on agriculture, we have refurbished Cassava Processing Factories located at Ikot Okudom, Eket LGA; Nung Udoe, Ibesikpo/Asutan LGA and Ikot Ekang in Abak LGA and leased them to private operators for the production of high quality garri, odourless foofoo and cassava flour. This has helped crash the price of garri from about 3 cups for 200 Naira to the current situation where the same 200 naira will fetch you between 9 and 12 cups.
 We have procured 600,000 bags of fertilizer to farmers.
 We have also planted 500 citrus seedlings, 600 hybrids plantain suckers and 1000 pineapple suckers at the Horticulture Garden, Wellington Bassey Way in Uyo LGA.

AVIATION DEVELOPMENT
I am pleased to report the following milestones in Aviation development:
 Construction of Taxiway at the Victor Attah International Airport
. Full upgrading of Airfield Lighting System at the Victor Attah International Airport
. Incorporation of Ibom Airline, the first wholly State-owned Airline in the country, with three aircrafts currently in full commercial operations. More aircrafts to be added before the end of 2020.
. Remodelling of the Departure Hall at the Victor Attah International Airport.
 Construction of the Airport Perimeter security Fence
 Construction of the Airport Executive Hangar

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
On rural development we have achieved the following strides:
 Over 300 rural development projects across the 31 Local Government Areas of our State;
 Constructed over 400 Inter-Ministerial Rural Intervention Projects; and
 Rehabilitated/constructed over 500km of rural feeder roads. Work is still in progress on some of these roads.

HEALTH

 Free medical services for children below 5 years, pregnant women and the aged.
 Over 36 containers of state-of-the art medical equipment have been procured and are being delivered to health institutions in the State.
 Construction and upgrading of secondary healthcare facilities across the State.
 Reconstruction and equipping of General Hospital, Etinan.
 Reconstruction and commission of Ituk Mbang General Hospital.
 Reconstruction and commissioning of Ikono and the General Hospital at Iquita, Oron.
 Reconstruction works at Ikot Okoro General Hospital, some of these hospitals are now fully digitized with advanced health information management systems.
 Work currently on-going at the remodelling of Emmanuel hospital, Eket
 Relief for over 4,000 mal-nourished children
 Free screening & treatment of over 15,000 people for various
eye diseases undertaken by FEYReP
 Training of 20 Biomedical Engineers
 Provision of residential quarters for 48 House Officers in State Hospitals and 50 in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH).
 Accreditation for Schools of Nursing, with 272 Registered Nurses
 Engagement of new Management team at Ibom Specialist Hospital
 Training and Certification of 100 Doctors and Nurses in Basic Lives Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Lives Support (ACLS) Machines for use in Emergency Response (now fitted in all our ambulances)

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING
 Over 20,000 youths have been trained in various skills
 On-going Construction of 10 Modern Sport Centres across the
State.
 Complete Reconstruction of Eket Sports Stadium
 N2bn interest-free loan for small scale entrepreneurs and traders
 Successful organization of the First and Second Akwa Ibom State Youth Sports Festival.
 Dakkada Football Club formerly Akwa Starlets, promoted to the Premier League , making Akwa Ibom State one of the few States with two Premier League teams
 Through sound planning and management, Akwa Ibom has become the Football Capital of Nigeria. We Hosted the Super Eagles to become the first African Team to qualify for Russia 2018 World Cup.
 We also played host to Athletico Madrid FC in an international friendly match with the Super Eagles.
 Akwa United won The Nigeria Federation Cup twice in 3 years
 Ibom Angels emerged runners up in the 2017 Nigeria Female FA Cup (The first time a female team from the State has ever qualified for the finals of a major national competition).
 Team Akwa Ibom finished 2nd on the medal table at 2017 National Sports Festival.
 Akwa Ibom has so far received three Excellence Awards on Sports Development from the Federal Government.
 Promotion and sponsorship of 4 State football teams namely; Akwa United, Akwa Starlet, Ibom Angels and Ibom Youth FC.

SOCIAL WELFARE/FEYReP

Under social welfare and FEYReP interventions we have achieved the following milestones:

1. Care for over Eight Hundred (800) Orphans and less privileged children in the five (5) Government Homes, namely: Special Children Home, Uyo; Divine Children’s Home Uyo; Correctional Centre, Uyo; Shelter Afrique Transit Camp, Uyo; and Government Children’s Home. Ikot Ekpene.

2. Provision of N200,000.00 grant each for about 500 women organizations across the 31 LGAs to enable them leverage on the public-partnership Initiative of the State Government.

3. Provision of N50,000.00 grant each and wrappers for about 600 widows across the 31 LGAs to boost their businesses and alleviate poverty.

4. Provision of N50,000.00 each, and wrappers as well as food items for about 350 mothers with multiple births across the 31 LGAs in collaboration with the office of the First Lady, my wife, Her Excellency, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel.

5. Implementation of the Child Right Law and Prosecution of Child’s Right offenders in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Judiciary and Ministry of Justice, Security Services, Police etc. The cases include; Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Child Abandonment and Trafficking, Maternal/Paternity issues, Raped, Baby Factory Operation and Disinheritance. Over 200 cases have been recorded since 29th May 2015. About one hundred and twenty (120) have been adjudicated and some of the malefactors are serving their jail terms.

6. Yearly Evacuation, Rehabilitation and Re-integration of mentally-challenged people.

7. Sensitization Campaign against Child Abuse, Child Trafficking Child Abandonment and Baby Factory in the State.

8. Donation of over two hundred (200) Wheel Chairs and one hundred (100) Special Writing Desks for physical challenged persons in tertiary institutions and secondary schools.

9. Training of 20 visually impaired persons (the blind) in different skills at the Nigerian Farm Craft Centre, Lagos and subsequent empowerment for them to start up their business in the development trade learnt.

10. Sponsorship of 155 widows to Jerusalem for Pilgrimage led by Her Excellency, my wife, Mrs Martha Udom Emmanuel

11. Donation of wrappers to over 4,000 Market Women

12. In addition, under the Widows Empowerment Scheme Financial (Empowerment to widows registered with the Ministry), My dear wife, Her Excellency, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel’s Signature Pet Project-Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Programme (FEYReP) has carried out free screening and treatment of over 15,000 people with various eyes diseases. FEYReP has touched many lives; especially widows, many of who have had houses built and donated to them.

CULTURE AND TOURISM
1. The State’s tourism logo is themed “Amazing Akwa Ibom… The Preferred Destination”. It was launched in 2017, with the aim of boosting tourism in the State.

2. We also hosted the first outstanding art exhibition since the creation of the State titled “Usoro Uso”.

With the reconstitution of the Hotels and Tourism Board, we hope to further develop our tourism potentials and market our State as a tourist destination. This is part of our diversification agenda.

Besides the afore-stated, we have worked hard to utilize whatever revenue we have received to impact the lives of the people and create enduring infrastructural amenities. These elements were key points in our Five-Point Agenda.

Our Capital Budget Expenditures are described in detail in the Budget Implementation Report, (BIR) which has been prepared to facilitate your consideration of the Draft 2020 Budget.

THE 2020 BUDGET

Mr. Speaker and Honorable Members, the 2020 Budget is prepared in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) – Accrual Template. It is a comprehensive IPSAS package that classifies transactions into Revenue, Expenditure, Asset and Liabilities. Thus, it aids effective and efficient financial analysis.

Mr. Speaker and Honorable Members, considering the fact that my Completion Agenda is predicated primarily on the rapid industrialization of this State , we have christened the 2020 Budget “The Budget Of Industrialization For Poverty Alleviation Phase II.” The 2019 Budget was named the “Budget of Industrialization for Poverty Alleviation.” It was so named because the State had started witnessing major breakthroughs in industrialization through construction and commissioning of some industries that are currently in full operations or on-going. We also attracted more Foreign Direct Investments, boosted the fortunes of our people and improved employment opportunities.

This Budget Of Industrialization For Poverty Alleviation Phase II, reflects further this Government’s resolve to build more industries, attract more Foreign Direct Investments, while ensuring the consolidation and sustenance of our already actualized and on-going socio-economic programmes in Health, Education, Roads, Electricity, Water Supply, Agriculture, Information Technology, Capacity Building, Infrastructure, Housing, Commerce and Industry Aviation, General Administration, Political Prosperity and Security, Legislature and Judiciary. A lot had been put in place, in terms of infrastructures, already, but we need to do more. Our belief and conviction is that through industrialization, the fortunes of people would be greatly improved and employment opportunities will abound for our people thus, raising their standard of living.

POLICY THRUST AND OBJECTIVES

The policy thrust of the 2020 Budget, the first in the Second Term of this Administration, will be to continue to gradually metamorphose Akwa Ibom State from a “Civil Service” State to a largely Private Sector driven State, depending less on statutory allocation as the main source of revenue to the State. This will be achieved by creating more job opportunities through opening up the State to encourage private investments, creating a welcoming environment for investors, strengthening existing industries and establishing new ones, as well as improving our IGR processes and drive. It is expected that these, as well as the provision of basic infrastructures, enhancement of security, development of human capital and boosting services in education and healthcare will lead to an overall improvement in the living standard of our people.

The 2020 Budget will also serve as a starting point in the actualization of Government’s 8-point COMPLETION AGENDA – Industrialization, Aviation Development, Rural and Riverine Areas Development, Agriculture, Human Capacity Development, Security, Infrastructure and Promotion of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. This budget will properly link all the eight prongs in order to bring about a coordinated and sustainable development with multiplier effects on economic growth, employment generation and wealth creation, which will in turn lead to economic stability and social cohesion.
The policy objectives of the 2020 Budget include:

1. To continue to promote trade, commerce and tourism between the State and the rest of the world. This will be done by encouraging and sustaining small and medium scale enterprises through the development of an efficient and sustainable micro-credit framework, as part of wealth creation and employment generation strategies.
2. To employ ICT, Science and Technology as a tool for employment generation and wealth creation.
3. To reduce morbidity and mortality from communicable and non-communicable diseases thereby guaranteeing a healthy populace. This will be realized through our continuous efforts in the rehabilitation of our health institutions and provision of additional health care facilities and services.
4. To sustain the implementation of the Government Policy of Free and Compulsory Qualitative Education through the expansion of facilities to cope with increased school enrolment and the provision of teaching aids in public primary and secondary schools.
5. To ensure the availability of durable and affordable shelter for the indigenes of the State through the development of low-cost Housing Estates in the State.
6. To increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State by expanding and diversifying the State’s resource base.
7. To aggressively pursue the development of other internal revenue generating sources in the State Maritime, Coastal and Inland Water Ways, harnessing revenue on landed properties, and others.
8. To continue work on the construction of Ibom Deep Seaport and expansion of the Ibom Industrial City to complement Government efforts in the creation of enduring structures for employment generation, wealth creation and increased IGR.
9. To complete the Cargo and Maintenance, Repairs and Overhauling (MRO) facility at the Victor Attah International Airport, as a way of pursuing increased foreign exchange revenue from airplane maintenance and other aviation services.
10. To expand and acquire additional aircrafts for Ibom Air to further increase the ease of traveling in and around the State thus encouraging more investments and tourists to the State.
11. To improve agricultural output and ensure food sufficiency through the supply of improved agricultural inputs, credit and extension services.
12. To pursue Public Private Partnership Investment Strategy in order to enhance our revolutionary efforts in Agriculture and Industry.
13. To promote youth and women empowerment as well as the protection of children and other vulnerable groups in the society.
14. To ensure the security of lives and property and create a peaceful and safe society through the provision of effective security network in the State.
15. To ensure accountability and transparency and the enthronement of best practices in all areas of governance as an enduring standard of public sector administration.
16. To develop the rural areas to enable the dividends of democratic government to be felt in every part of the State and also reduce the burden of population drift/explosion on the urban centers.
17. To maintain a good working relationship between the Executive, legislative and judiciary arms of the State government and also ensure grassroots development and empowerment through the enablement of effective local government administration.
18. To maintain the existing cordial relationship with the central government in order to attract federal presence to the State.
19. To unify the State, as well as ensure due respect for the traditional institutions and elders in the society, in order to attain peace and prosperity in the State and also give all Akwa Ibomites (both within and in the Diaspora) a sense of belonging

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

To realize the above objectives, the following strategies and measures shall be adopted by the State Government in 2020;

1. Employ effective public-private partnership strategy to provide needed industrial, infrastructural and agricultural development
2. Attract potential investors and donor agencies to invest in the relevant and key sectors of the State economy and undertake robust human capital development.
3. Strengthen the industrial base of the State through the acceleration of industrialization and investment activities by providing enabling environment for the private sector to thrive. This will lead to the production of enough goods and services for domestic use as well as for export.
4. Set up new industries and maintain existing ones in the agro-industrial, information technology, as well as oil and gas sectors.
5. Improving on IGR by eliminating evasion in payment, wastages and leakages in collection and expenditure, and developing tourism potentials.
6. Stimulate the Agricultural and Agro-allied industries to boost production of local farmers to ensure food sufficiency for local consumption, exports as well as the provision of raw materials for the industries.
7. Prioritize the completion of all on-going projects in the State.
8. Expand and improve infrastructure and services in Health-Care Delivery at Primary and Secondary levels
9. Improve service delivery in the Educational sector, with emphasis on science and technology, as well as information and communication technology.
10. Empower women and youth through capacity building, empowerment, skill acquisition and elimination of gender discrimination practices.
11. Enforce Child Protection Laws and create a conducive society for the Akwa Ibom child to flourish and realize his or her potentials.
12. Enhance delivery of qualitative and prompt service by public servants.
13. Ensure enforcement of peace, law and order by building an efficient and proactive security network to make the State conducive to live and invest in.
14. Provide recreational and sporting facilities to increase life expectancy boost Sports development and ensure improved performance of the State representatives at local, National and International Sporting competitions. By extension, this activity will also create employment, generate wealth and reduce poverty among the youths.

HIGHLIGHT OF 2020 BUDGET
The 2020 Budget is predicated on an oil benchmark of $55 per barrel at a production rate of N2.18 million barrels per day, with an estimated exchange rate of N305/US$, in line with the National Budget benchmark projections.

BUDGET SIZE:
Government has proposed a total budgetary outlay of N597.800 billion for the 2020 financial year as against the approved provision of N672.985 billion of 2019

This is made up of:
Recurrent Expenditure – N111.225 billion
Capital Expenditure – N369.642 billion
Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges – N116.933 billion
Total – N597.800 billion

REVENUE:
The total projected Recurrent Revenue for 2020 is estimated at N381.556 billion as against the approved provision of N374.758 billion for 2019. The breakdown is as follows:
¬¬¬¬
Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) – N 52.556 billion
Statutory Allocation – N 52.000 billion
Derivation Fund – N255.000 billion
Retained Revenue from Parastatals – N 2.000 billion
Value Added Tax (VAT) – N 20.000 billion
Total – N381.556 billion

RECURRENT EXPENDITURE:
For the 2020 Fiscal Year, Recurrent Expenditure is proposed at
N228.158 billion, made up of:

Personnel Costs – N 60.942 billion
Overhead Costs – N 50.283 billion
Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges – N116.933 billion
(including pensions, gratuities and public debts.)
Total – N228.158 billion

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE:
The total Capital Receipts and Expenditure for the year 2020 is estimated at N369.642 billion as against the approved provision of N447.903 billion for 2019. A total projected capital receipts shows that N153.398 billion will be transferred from the consolidated revenue fund, while the balance of N 216.244 billion is to be realized as follows:

Opening Balance from 2019 account – N 9.944 billion
Internal/External Loans – N35.300 billion
Grants – N50.000 billion
Ecological Funds – N20.000 billion

Re-imbursement from Federal
Government on Road and other Infrastructure- N50.000 billion

Investment Income – N 1.000 billion
Refunds from Excess Loan Deduction
and other exceptional Income – N50.000 billion

SECTORAL ALLOCATION
The sectoral allocation of the total estimated Capital Expenditure outlay of N369.642 billion for the year 2020 is presented as follows:
S/NO. SECTOR ALLOCATION
N(BILLION) PERCENTAGE OF ALLOCATION
1. Administration 102.007 27.6
2. Economic 237.6 64.3
3. Law and Justice 2.645 0.7
4. Regional 0.700 0.2
5. Social 26.67 7.2
Total 369.642 100.0

Analysis of sectoral allocation above shows that priority is given to projects and programmes under the Economic sector.

ADMINISTRATION SECTOR
The Public/Civil Service stands as the pivot upon which the Government activities and business revolve to give the people the dividends of good governance rest. Without a prudent and smart working Civil Service, the objectives and goals of Government for the people cannot be achieved.

Therefore, an effective and efficient Civil Service machinery is quite necessary through strategic recruitment, training and retraining of Civil Servants. We desire to orient our civil servants with current and effective global best practices and, thereby, increase their productivity through motivation. Motivation in turn would boost optimum productivity in the administrative sector. To meet this need, the sum of N102.007 is earned mark in the 2020 budget.

ECONOMIC SECTOR:
Socio-economic growth depends on well mapped out, planned and implemented strategies. We will continue to provide and improve on infrastructures with a view to boosting the revenue generation capacity for both the State and the people through viable agriculture, maintaining established industries and building new ones, encouraging small and medium scale enterprises, ensure steady power supply etc. For this development and capital projects, the sum of N244.174 is earmarked

LAW AND JUSTICE SECTOR
It is the role of Government to make and implement laws to create conducive and enabling environment to secure and protect lives and property; foster the growth of businesses. Therefore, Government will continue to maintain peace, law and order, and justice with utmost sense of responsibility. Every applicable law will be used to dispense justice to (and enforce the constitutional right of) both Government and the governed. Public enlightenment on the different law issues as they affect the citizenry will be embarked upon. A total of N2.649 billion has been budgeted for law and justice.

REGIONAL SECTOR
Government is always concerned about the welfare of the people in the rural areas, hence, we will ensure that the well-being of our people in our rural areas is made meaningful through rural electrification, rehabilitation and maintenance of rural, farm and feeder roads, tarring of slippery hills; provision of mini water schemes, renovation of community schools and many community empowerment and poverty alleviation programmes. We have been on course and this Administration will continue to do its best to ensure that more of such services are executed and sustained. This sector will gulp the sum of N 0.700 billion for the actualization of these projects.

SOCIAL SECTOR:
Social services endear the Government to the people. It will, therefore, receive due consideration and be improved upon. These areas will also enjoy our attention: health care, education, sports, information, women, youth, children, aged persons our traditional institution and environment. We are looking forward to having a well-informed, educated and healthy people operating within a well-ordered and aesthetically welcoming environment for high performance and life span. To this end, the sum of N20.116 billion has been estimated for this sector

GENERAL CHARTER OF THE 2020 BUDGET
In the next four years, my Administration will intensify efforts and focus in providing a high performance in the industrialization goals we had started in my First Term in office. We hope to make Akwa Ibom State an industrial hub in our country. In this regard, more energy and vigour will be given to Small and Medium Enterprises to act as drivers of our viable economy. We will make sure that adequate and sufficient modern infrastructural facilities are provided which are quite necessary for effective and efficient industrialization. Education and human capacity development will continue to enjoy its pride of place, while health-care delivery will be targeted to provide high quality services. We will continue to encourage our people to go into farming and produce enough food for our local consumption and export.

Also, we hope to create a conducive and peaceful environment through adequate provision of security, and strengthening sports, tourism and easy communication for effective recreation and relaxation while at work to boost general productivity. We believe that the implementation of the above-stated programmes in my Completion Agenda will create more jobs and employment opportunities thus, making life more meaningful and rewarding for everyone.

EDUCATION:
Education is the bed rock of all developments. It is a pivot on which every human capital development revolves. This Administration places a high premium on education and skills development and acquisition. To achieve more successes in this sector, we will continue to provide the basic facilities like libraries, science laboratories, instructional materials, workshop equipment etc. for distribution to our school children in public school system. Renovation and construction of more classroom and academic blocks, securing full accreditation of academic programmes, ensuring effective and efficient capacity building, recruitment of teachers, payment of bursary and scholarships to our students and providing boarding facilities to ensure a controlled and disciplined learning environment will be a continuous affair. To realize these objectives in education, the 2020 Budget earmarks the sum of N11.45 billion.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
In today’s world, the knowledge of Science and Technology, and as well as Information and Communication Technology constitute the basic ingredients for industrial breakthroughs, socio-economic development and growth, as well as job creation, wealth creation, community development and advancement in human conditions at all levels. Government will continue to foster developments in this area through the following:
 Establishment of Research and Development Laboratory
 Technology Workshop
 Provision of Human resources in science, engineering and technology
 Promotion of ICT programmes and activities
 Establishment of self city project which aims at assisting crime detection in the State;
 Maintenance of the e-Library project and updating of faculties/equipment for continuous functioning of the library.
To meet these needs, 2020 Budget proposed the sum of N1.000billion.

AGRICULTURE
Agriculture plays a critical role in the socio-economic and industrial development of States and Nations. This Administration places premium on the growth and development of agriculture to enhance food security and provide raw materials for industrial use and exports, job and wealth creations, as well as improved revenue generation to the Government.

In 2020, Government intends to carry out the following agricultural programmes and projects; Agro Meteorological Project, Commercial Cattle Development Project, Cocoyam/Avocado Pear Production, Bamboo Development Programme, integrated Farmers Scheme (IFS), Women Agro-Entrepreneurship Development Programme (WAEDEP), Cassava Development Programme, Animal Feed Safety and Certification Programme, Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Maize Development Programme, Rice Development Project, Agro-Chemical Supply, Special Tree Crops Production and Maintenance Scheme, Akwa Ibom Agricultural Development Programme (AKADEP), Horticulture Development Programme, Precision Farming, Coconut Plantation and Oil Refinery Project, Fish Farm Estate, Veterinary Public Health, Piggery Development Project, Livestock Investigation and Breeding, Aqua Culture/Fisheries Sector Development, Activities of Food and Nutrition, Agric Information, Farmers Education/Agric Resources Survey, Animal Feed and Certification Programme, Livestock Extension Education and Advisory Programme, Community Plantation Development Programme.

For all these agricultural programmes, a total sum of N12.371 billion has been proposed in the 2020 Budget.

LANDS, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
All over the world, the basic economic needs of man remain food, shelter and clothing. Government will take care of the food needs of our people through viable agricultural programmes/projects, and the clothing needs through manufacturing and craft; while the shelter needs will be provided through building subsidized houses. In this regard, Government intends to partner with high level housing development experts, through Public-Private-partnerships (PPP) to construct affordable and very low-density houses and estates for those in the low- and middle-income bracket, as well as a Unity Luxury Estate for those in the high income bracket. Other activities to be embarked on in this sector include: the completion of the Ibom International Airport; Ibom Tropicana Entertainment Centre; 4 Point by Sheraton; International Worship Centre; completion of the 21-Storey building to provide office space for high target investors and multi-national companies. Also to receive Government’s attention are the State Secretariat (phase 3), which would house a number of MDAs that are still located in rented apartments and causing government to spend so much on payment of rents, residential quarters for legislators: relocation of the Federal Prison and Police Barracks from Wellington Bassey Way; renovation of government buildings, etc. Government will also continue in the beautification and creation of open spaces and developing them into active usable space.

For all these programmes, a total sum of N53.637 billion is proposed in the 2020 Budget.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Government will ensure that the rural dwellers are comfortable by opening up more rural communities through the provision of basic social and economic infrastructures: rural electrification, mini-water schemes etc. The sum of N0.700 billion has been estimated for these projects.

ENVIRONMENT AND MINERAL RESOURCES
A decent environment is a needed ingredient for a healthy living. Therefore, my Administration will continue to pay great attention to safeguarding and maintaining a clean environment through putting in place an effective waste management mechanism and sound flood control measures in the affected areas. The programmes to be undertaken in this sector include: the construction of drainage facilities in Uyo Capital City, with particular reference to the State Secretariat and IBB Way; state-wide coastal/gully erosion control; erosion control in primary and secondary schools; flood control project; purchase of waste management equipment and urban refuse disposal programme; forest regeneration; exploration of solid minerals, strengthening of weather and climate information systems etc. To fund these programmes a total sum of N2.700 billion has been provided in the 2020 Budget for this sector.

INVESTMENT, COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Investment and commerce are major contributors to economic growth and development. , Input investments and commerce fuel economic growth; while outputs/outcomes and the volume of investments and commerce are significant indices of economic development. The major aspect of the State’s interest in investment and commerce are in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, real estate, mining, energy, and social services. As a major policy framework, the State has put measures in place to encourage major conglomerates, core investors and professional service providers (banks/finance houses and servicing companies for major multinationals) to create regional/zonal offices and major production/distribution hubs in the State. This will mitigate capital flight, create jobs, and grow the economy.

The Industrialization drive of this Administration has yielded fruits in the number of jobs and amount of wealth created. Government will provide funding for the following activities to consolidate on the gains achieved so far: design and development of Industrial Estates/Parks including the upgrading of facilities in Uyo phase 2 Industrial Park; organization of export awareness campaign/export forum in a bid to promote non-oil export to de-emphasize dependence on oil for foreign exchange; Industrial promotion programmes in collaboration with relevant agencies and private investors to identify and establish the organization of business education and development programmes to encourage entrepreneurial development in the State; participation in both State, National and international trade fairs; promotion of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) development programmes: encouragement of industrial research and inspectorate service to facilitate the development of enabling laws and legislation of industries.

To carry out these programmes, a total sum of N6.000 billion has been provided in the Budget for investment, commerce and industry.

CULTURE AND TOURISM
Tourism remains one of the greatest revenue earners in the world today. Therefore, to boost tourism and increase revenue generation in this sector, Government will undertake the following activities:

 Expansion work at Ibom 5-Star Hotel and Golf Resort.
 Completion of a multi-million Naira Ibom Tropicana Entertainment Centre, complete with Cineplex, galleria, malls, dry and wet parks, hotels and convention centre. Work is currently in progress.
 Sponsorship of the State Arts and Culture troupe to arts and culture festivals in foreign countries.
 Sponsorship of a children’s culture troupe
 Provision of enabling environment for private ownership of over 50 standard hotels in Uyo, the State Capital. We intend to spend N1.100 billion on this for continuous achievements.

HEALTH
This Government considers healthcare to be the absolute right of every individual, and therefore aims at the reduction and possible eradication of morbidity and mortality from communicable and non-communicable diseases. We will therefore continue the rehabilitation of our health institutions and the provision of additional healthcare facilities and services. To ensure effective health care delivery, government will continue to implement the policy of free medical treatment for children of five years and below, pregnant women, and the elderly of 70 years and above. Government has renovated, digitized and procured state-of-art medical equipment for General

Please follow and like us:

0