Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has said he needs N250billion to fix major infrastructure in Anambra State.
The governor said this on Thursday, while assenting to the 2022 revised appropriation budget of N170 billion naira.
Anambra State House of Assembly had on Tuesday passed the budget tagged “Building Off From The Blocks” during a sitting of the house.
Signing the budget into law, Soludo commended members of the House of Assembly for being diligent, responsible and responsive to their job as lawmakers and representatives of the people of Anambra State.
He canvassed for stronger synergy between the legislative and other arms of government at all levels.
Soludo said: “The patriotic and responsive manner the budget was passed by the State House of Assembly is not only commendable but signalled the birth of a new partnership for a greater Anambra.
“There was no underhand dealings in signing the budget rather the process was conducted with intergrity, patriotism and responsiveness.”
The governor recounted that in his campaign manifesto, N250 billion naira was estimated as the amount required to build critical infrastructure towards the realisation of the livable and prosperous homeland in the state.
He lamented, however, that the resources at government disposal are abysmally lean as well as the earnings from the oil sector which has become so low.
Consequently, Governor Soludo said the government was left with no options other than to ratchet up multiple strategies including taking a look at the state’s expenditure and introducing prudence in spending.
He also stated as part of the measures to improve government finances, efforts are also being made to digitize the Internally Generated Revenue of the state to eliminate leakages
He further explained that in the interim, his administration has decided to borrow N100 billion naira, as Ndi Anambra cannot wait, emphasizing that not the whole amount will be spent this year.
He stated categorically that the borrowed money will be re-fenced and will be used for critical infrastructural development particularly in building roads, bridges etc. He again reiterated that there will be absolute prudence in making sure Ndi Anambra gets value for the money borrowed adding that every kobo will be judiciously used to create wealth that will benefit the people of the state.
