2018 Budget: Gov. Ayade presents N1.3 trillion to house of Assembly

-Cross River budget is the highest ever in Nigeria’s history

-Gov Ben explains that the budget is designed to improve socio-economic development

Gov. Ayade presents N1.3 trillion budget for 2018

Cross River Governor, Ben Ayade, has presented a budget of ₦1.3 trillion for the year 2018, to the state house of assembly.

Cross River’s  proposed  budget is the largest state budget in the history of Nigeria.

In 2017, Lagos state had the highest ever budget with its ₦812 billion budget, although the state has hinted that its 2018 budget may also be around ₦1 trillion.

Ayade while presenting the proposed budget to the house,  said budget was to add value to the socio-economic development and welfare of the people of the state.

He said: “The 2018 budget of ₦1.3 trillion, tagged `Kinetic Crystallisations’, is meant to drive the economy of the state to an enviable height,” he said.

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“The sum of ₦126 billion was budgeted for the Ministry of Infrastructure. This is to help us develop critical assets in the state.

“N7 billion was also budgeted for the state job centre with a view to helping us train our unemployed youths with marketable job skills.

“Also, we have budgeted ₦2 billion for our school feeding programme. In addition to that, we also budgeted ₦52 billion for social welfare to care for the aged.

“My administration is human friendly and my desire is to ensure that every family has what to eat before going to bed.”

Cross Rivers’ 2018 budget significantly surpasses that of last year whih was ₦301 billion.

Speaker of Assembly, John Gaul-Lebo, praised Ayade for commencing work on the deep sea port and the super highway.

Gaul-Lebo said the two projects, upon completion, would attract more investors to the state and boost its revenue profile.

He also promised the governor of the assembly’s continued support for the economic and political growth of the state.