WARRI—Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area in Delta State, Mr. Matthew  Edema, yesterday, presented a budget of N3.125 billion for 2016 to Warri South Legislative Arm for consideration and approval.

Presenting the budget,  Edema explained that the fiscal estimate was geared towards restoring and facilitating all-round socio-economic and infrastructural development of the entire council.

Acknowledging that the 2015 budget was not fully executed as a result of global fall in the price of crude oil, he emphasised that his administration ensured that the promise of removal of all illegal payments, all illegal allowances, ghost workers, blocking of all loopholes were carried out in 2015.

A breakdown of the 2016 estimate shows that recurrent expenditure will gulp N2. 252 billion, taking 72 per cent, while capital vote will take N73.667 million, constituting 28 per cent of the budget.

The estimate further revealed that N1.881 billion is expected as statutory federal and state allocations, with Internally Generated Revenue projected at N843.674 million.

Edema said that in line with his administration’s policy direction of impacting positively on the lives of the people of Warri South council, the sum of N52.5 million would be spent to ensure that existing boreholes and street lights provided by the council in the past were made functional and new ones provided in areas where there is none, while N37.8 million would  be expended on environmental sanitation.

He stressed that as a major source of revenue, adequate attention shall be paid to the development of markets in Warri with a projected sum of N100 million.