By Israel Mbam
In keeping to global budget processes, Ebonyi State Government through the Ministry of Budget, Planning, Research and Monitoring on Thursday 17th April, 2025 presented to citizens of the State, the 2025 Citizens Budget tagged Budget of Economic and Social Development.
Presenting the summarized budget, the Commissioner for Budget, Planning Research and Monitoring, Princess Deborah Okah said the presentation was in line with the requirements of open government partnership and in support of the State Government commitment to implementing the peoples charter of needs mantra of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. She thanked stakeholders, CSOs and partners for their efforts and support towards budget preparation and implementation in the State.
Giving the summary of the budget, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Lady Ibe Rose Ugwuoma said the 2025 Ebonyi State Government budget estimate of #444.98b would be sourced from FAAC, Domestic Grants, domestic loans, other deficit financing items, sales of government assets and foreign grants.
On expenditure, she explained that #36.66bn was budgeted for personnel cost, #80.42bn for overhead cost, #327.90bn is for capital cost and other recurrent expenditure. The PS also gave breakdown of top sectors, ministries allocations and sectorial pairing.
In their goodwill messages, the State Commissioner for Finance, Prof Leonard Uguru, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Mfon Williamson, Ebonyi State CAN Chairman, Rev. Dr. Scam Nwokolo, State Coordinator of CSOs Network, Chief Oliver Ajah Chima and NUJ Chairman, Comrade Samson Nwafor all commended the State Government for their inclusive budget system and for simplifying same through the Citizens budget. They also stressed on need to effectively implement the budget, especially in key sectors of health, education, WASH and other sectors.
Other speakers including HRH, Eze Oketa, Dr. Azu Ibiam, NLC Chairman, Students representatives, market women among others praised the purposeful leadership of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru and said they would continue to provide constructive criticism where necessary and tasked those concerned in memo writing and implementation of the budget to ensure it was followed in the interest of the people of Ebonyi State.
The citizens budget presentation had in attendance members of the civil society organisations, traditional rulers, town union presidents, Labour unions, Nigeria Union of journalists, students representatives, MDAs, market women among other stakeholders