…stresses need to meet revenue target

By Egufe Yafugborhi & Chioma Onuegbu

AKWA Ibom State governor Pastor Umo Eno has signed into Law the State’s Appropriation Bill of N849.970billion for the 2024 fiscal year.

According to a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Uyo by government house Press governor Eno assented to the N849. 970bn Budget on Thursday during an enlarged State Executive Council meeting.

 It could be recalled that initial size of the 2024 Budget Christened, “ARISE Budget for Growth and Expansion” which was presented to the State House of Assembly on November, 21,2023 by governor Eno was N845.632bn.

The House later passed the budget of  N849.970 billion for the fiscal year, reflecting an augmentation of N4.3 billion.

While giving assent to the Bill  governor Eno commended members of the State Legislature for their painstaking consideration of the bill and for working with the Executive arm to ensure thoroughness and timely passage of the Bill.

 Eno according to the statement said: “.in signing this budget today, my priority will be on the revenue. How do we get to bring in the revenue? Because there is no point having a budget this big when the revenue is not commensurate.

“If you review what happened last year, we had the budget too and in previous years, but revenue is always the issue.

“So while we sign this budget to show that we have the approval, I think what will be most important for all of us is to make sure that we meet the revenue target to help us expend. This administration is putting a lot in place to raise the  Internally Generated Revenue of the state.

” I urge the Ministry of Finance, Internal Revenue Service, Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission (EARCOM) and other agencies to step up efforts in mobilizing revenue for easy funding of the budget. The State GIS will soon be operational to enhance the tax net”