The 2024 budget proposal of the Enugu State Government is receiving positive reviews from the Labour, civil society groups, and economists, who have lauded it as pro-masses and capable of turning the fortunes of the state around.
Recall that the governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, on Tuesday, laid a N521.5bn 2024 Appropriation Bill at the Enugu State House of Assembly. The budget, which he entitled “Budget of Disruptive Economic Growth”, comprises N414.3 Capital Expenditure Representing about 79 per cent of the budget and N107.2bn Recurrent Expenditure, representing about 21 per cent of the budget.
Whereas the economic sector and infrastructure came tops on sectoral allocation basis with N207.8bn and N182.9bn in the Capital Expenditure distribution, education got 73.6 per cent of the social sector provision, and 33 per cent of the entire budget.
Reacting to the budget estimates, Chairman of the Enugu State wing of the NUT, Comrade Theophilus Odo, said: “The governor has shown in every way that he has great interest in education. Honestly, when he said during the last convocation at ESUT that education would get over 30 per cent of the budget, we hardly believed him because it had never been like that before anywhere in Nigeria, including at the Federal level. But with this, we are very happy and relieved that a leader is now giving this all-important sector the deserved attention.
“As the governor rightly pointed out in his budget speech, education is one of the surest ways of ensuring sustainable eradication of poverty. By implication, this budget is for the benefit of our children, the teachers and the entire society.
“So, on behalf of the entire teachers of Enugu State, I say a big ‘thank you’ to the governor for his great vision for education in the State.”
Meanwhile, according to a development economist, Chibuzo Aniekwe, the budget is a testimony to the overarching vision of the Mbah administration.
“The budget estimates for the 2024 fiscal year tilts heavily to inclusive growth as it is inclined toward 78 to 79 per cent Capital Expenditure and 21 per cent Recurrent Expenditure.
“The Capital Expenditure shows massive growth in infrastructure in sectors like Smart Early Education and functional Tier One Health Services.
“It is instructive to highlight the underpinning far left reduction in Recurrent Cost, which explains disruptive innovation, as most government transactions shall move from Labour Intensive method to Technology Intensive deliveries.
“The huge infrastructure shall accentuate circular flow of cash and income redistribution, which puts the government back to its fundamental duty as agent of economic distributive justice.
“This budget will reduce inflation as it shall cause efficiency of resource use and resource optimization”, Aniekwe stated.
Also, the Director of Communications and Public Enlightenment, Centre for Humanity, Peter Ugwu, said the “enormous allocations to the social sector and the economy showed a good intention to lift the people out of poverty and avail them of quality social services.
“The intended massive investments in education, infrastructure, health, water, among others, is a signpost of a government that is people-oriented. On our own, we will monitor implementation and hold the government accountable when it is eventually passed and signed into law”, the Centre stated.
