Works commissioner praises Ministry’s stellar 2023 performance despite lean resources
• Prof. Eno Ibanga
Itoro Bassey
Despite the constrained budget allocated to the Ministry of Works and Fire Service in Akwa Ibom State for the 2023 fiscal year, the ministry demonstrated exceptional performance in fulfilling its core mandate of transforming and developing the infrastructure sector.
Prof. Eno Ibanga, the commissioner in the ministry, made this known on Tuesday during a summary presentation of the 2024 budget proposal and the 2023 budget performance to the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriations.
Accompanied by the permanent secretary and directors of the ministry’s eight directorates, Prof. Ibanga disclosed that the revised 2023 budget for the Ministry was N210.5 billion, subdivided into N5.5 billion for recurrent expenditure and N204.9 billion for capital expenses.
He further reported that while the approved revenue target for the ministry in the 2023 budget was N221 million, the ministry managed to generate N121 million (54.93%) by the end of September.
According to the commissioner, the ministry pulled in N63.43 billion (30.9%) within the first three quarter of the year.
He highlighted several projects commissioned by the ministry in 2023, including the Eket-Etinan Road, Abak Ifia-Ikpe Mbak Eyop-Ikot Abia Osom Road, and the Ndiya/Akpan Andem market internal roads, Nto Edino junction to Ikot Ukpong-Mbiaso Road (phase 2), with two bridges in Obot Akara, and Ikot Ibritam-Ikot Ikara Road with 2 bridges in Oruk Anam, among others.
Under the ARISE Agenda of the incumbent Governor Umo Eno, Ibanga said the Ministry has also initiated and awarded several other projects such as the St Maria Goretti school road, Ikot Ekpene; Tabernacle Road and environs, Uyo; Ukpong Street, Oron; internal road to the Paramount Ruler’s house in Itu, Atiku Abubakar Road underground drainage system in Uyo, and Udo Inwang Street erosion control works in Uyo, among others.
For the 2024 fiscal year, the commissioner presented the Ministry’s budget proposal of N108.8 billion, with N3.4 billion earmarked for recurrent expenditure and N177 billion for capital projects, projecting a total revenue of N222 million.
“In view the above and in recognition of the status of Akwa Ibom State as a destination in the South-south of Nigeria, and above all to give the state a global outlook, it is therefore our prayer that more funds be released to the ministry, in view of the release we had last year, so that we can accomplish the budget’s programmes, projections and activities”, Prof. Ibanga added
Dr. Itoro Etim, the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriations, assured that the committee was committed to handling the budget proposal diligently.
