Mbah Proposes N1.62tr Budget, Launches Drones

Gov Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Tuesday, presented a ₦1.62 trillion draft budget for the 2026 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.

Tagged the Budget of Renewed Momentum, the proposal allocated ₦1.2 trillion to capital expenditure. The breakdown of the budget showed that every local government area in the state would benefit from at least one major road project in the 2026 fiscal cycle.

The budget also projected a ₦807 billion in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), signalling a strengthened focus on revenue reforms and economic growth initiatives.

Meanwhile, Gov Mbah has inaugurated the state’s newly procured hi-tech security equipment and patrol vehicles from the Enugu State Security Trust Fund.

Among the equipment were two advanced drones, 10 Hilux patrol vans, 400 bulletproof vests, and 400 bulletproof helmets.

Mbah in a post on Tuesday said, “These assets will reinforce our existing investments in security such as the state-of-the-art Command and Control Centre, the network of AI-enabled surveillance cameras across the state, and over 150 Distress Response Squad vehicles fitted with AI-embedded cameras.”

He acknowledged that violent crimes had reduced by over 80 per cent in the state, adding however that his administration was not resting on its laurels “because the criminals and bad elements we are dealing with are not resting”.

He wrote, “Security is one sector you may have scored 90 per cent, but just one breach can undermine all the successes you have accomplished. We will continue to invest heavily in equipment and infrastructure that allow us to nip crime in the bud and respond swiftly whenever it occurs.”

He commended the Trustees of the Enugu State Security Trust Fund for their support and dedication, and assured Ndi Enugu that “we will keep pressing forward to ensure that our state remains the safest place to live, work, and invest”.