The Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, has said that he was actively involved in the preparation of the 2024 budget of the state to make sure life is better for his people in the coming years.
Otti disclosed this in an exclusive interview with THE WHISTLER during his visit to the founder of Unubiko Foundation, Chief James Ume in Atan Abam, Arochukwu Local Government Area.
The governor’s visit is coming barely a week after Chief Ume handed over the newly reconstructed Onyerubi Comprehensive Secondary School, Ndi Oji Abam in Arochukwu LGA to the community.
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Otti had on December 28 last year signed the state’s 2024 appropriation bill of N567.2bn which was already passed by the State House of Assembly into law.
The governor told THE WHISTLER that his priority areas for 2024 are healthcare, infrastructure and the general economy of Abia state.
He said, “I got involved in the preparation because I am a numbers man. We are focused on critical areas. Our budget will address priority areas like healthcare, infrastructure and the general economy of Abia state, those are the priority areas.
“Abia state has been punching below its potential and we feel that this is the time to give it the wings to fly. That’s why we have the kind of budget we have.”
About N400bn of the budget will be financed with local and external borrowings.
The state’s revenue for 2024 was estimated at N166bn which will be generated through grants from multilateral organisations, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), allocation from the Nigerian government and other income sources.
However, some critics described the budget as ambitious and a ‘wild goose chase’.
Otti replied, “Some people say it’s very ambitious and all sorts of things but for us Abia has been underdeveloped, we want to dig out from the pit and then build up and move up.
“We already have all the money and resources that we require. We have devised ways to generate the revenues for the budget and that is why 84 per cent of our budget for this year is allocated to capital expenditure. Only 16 per cent of it is allocated to recurrent expenditure. I wish Abia people a happy 2024.”
At the sideline of the visit, the governor met with the council of elders of Atan Abam to celebrate the annual ‘ekpe’ masquerade celebration which was held on January 3, 2024.
Otti hailed the council of elders for preserving the culture for several decades. He described tourism as one of the fertile sectors that would be harnessed by his administration.