The Akwa Ibom state government has expanded its 2025 budget to N1.65trn, a significant increase of N695bn or 42.2% up from the initial appropriated N955bn.
The development was made known on Friday in a statement issued by the commissioner for Information Aniekan Umanah after a state executive council (Sec) meeting convened by Governor Umo Eno at the government house in Uyo.
Umanah said Sec approved the increment to cover “emerging expenditures” in government projects and programmes and realign priorities across the state.
He said the council considered “a memorandum from the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning for a 2025 Supplementary Budget Estimate” and subsequently “approved an augmentation to the sum of N695 billion.”
“With this approval, the total budget size for 2025 now stands at N1.65 trillion, comprising N125,664,328,180 for Recurrent Expenditure and N569,335,671,820 for Capital Expenditure, incorporated into the original appropriation of N955 billion,” the statement reads.
Similarly, the government also upwardly revised the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) from N980bn to N1.7trn, adding that it aligns with the Fiscal Responsibility Law of Akwa Ibom State.
According to the Council, the supplementary budget will be allocated to:
- Implementation of new minimum wage/emoluments
- Emergency flood and erosion control
- Completion of ongoing projects affected by inflation
- Capital provision for new aircraft and CNG mass buses
- Allowance for serving NYSC members (in and outside the state)
The approved sum will also cover the funding of newly created ministries as well as the purchase of new aircraft and Ibom Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Mass Transit buses.
In May, Governor Umo Eno unveiled plans to launch 10 luxurious CNG buses in the first phase of efforts aimed at easing high transportation costs for residents following the removal of fuel subsidies.
This followed a partnership agreement between the government and Innoson Motors in July 2023 that has been delayed because of lack of CNG feeder stations in the state.
Since then, the government has been in search of partners who will provide refilling depots for the CNG buses.
Meanwhile, Nsik Motors, a major road transport company in the state, is currently building a 10MMSCF/D CNG Mother plant in Esit Eket that will cater for the future needs of the gas-powered transport system.