By Ayo Kehinde
Governor Monday Okpebholo, on Tuesday, presented the 2025 budget estimate of N605.7 billion to Edo State House of Assembly for consideration and approval.
Tagged: “Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo”, Governor Okpebholo listed the five points as security, infrastructural development, healthcare, food sufficiency and education.
The Governor added that the budget was prepared with the aim of achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.
Reading details of the proposal, Okpebholo said the 2025 budget estimate was 25 percent higher than the 2024 budget. He said the sum of N223 billion, representing 37 percent, was allocated to recurrent expenditure while N381 billion, representing 63 percent, was for capital expenditure.
A total N162 billion was allocated for road development across the state, N48 billion for education, N63.9 billion for health, N1.8 billion for the health insurance scheme and N4.5 billion for the agricultural sub-sector.
“The 2025 Proposed Budget is designed to achieve the goals of my five-point agenda. Which are: Security, Infrastructural, Development, Healthcare, Food sufficiency and Education.
“Agriculture plays a pivotal role in food production as well as revenue generation and job creation. It is, therefore, the desire of this administration to strengthen the agricultural sector, particularly in the areas of farm mechanization. We shall take special attention to the security of our farmers and ensure our farmlands are safe.
“Accordingly, the sum of N4.5 billion has been proposed in the Year 2025 budget estimates for the agricultural sub-sector”, he said.
Okpebholo thanked the Speaker and members of the state House of Assembly and added that he has highlighted the major policy objectives of the 2025 budget, aimed at uplifting the socio-economic conditions of our people.
Speaker of the Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, thanked the Governor for the presentation. He assured that the House will work with relevant stakeholders to ensure speedy passage of the bill.
“I urge all MDAs and Ministries to provide the necessary documents to ensure speedy passage of the budget. We will work with you your Excellency to make sure Edo people enjoy the dividends of democracy”, he said.
