2025 Drafts Estimates: AKSG Approves N955bn For 2025 Fiscal Year

By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
The Akwa Ibom government has approved budget estimates of N955 billion for the 2025 fiscal year.
The approval came, Tuesday, at the State Executive Council meeting which took place at the State Executive Council Chambers, Governor’s office, Uyo, as was presided by the State governor, Pastor Umo Eno.
A breakdown of the draft estimate shows the proposed recurrent expenditure as N300billion, representing a 14 percent decrease from that of 2024, while the capital expenditure is pegged at N655billion, reflecting a 13 percent increase compared to 2024.
The projected Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is placed at N80billion which is a 28 percent rise over the 2024 figure, thereby bringing the total budget estimates for 2025 to N955billion.
The commissioner for information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, who made this known through an excerpt from the meeting, signed by him, said the commissioner for finance, Mr. Linus Nkan, had earlier at the meeting presented the 2024 supplementary estimates and the draft recurrent and capital budgets for 2025 for approval by the Council.
According to him, the supplementary budget so presented by Nkan reflected savings of N8,922,513billion and an augmentation of N82,414,029,890billion incorporated into the 2024 Appropriation Bill, adding that the Council, having approved both estimates, directed their submission to the State House of Assembly for legislative review and further action.
Ememobong made known that the Council approved the implementation of a 65-year retirement age for non-academic staff of state-owned tertiary institutions, with effect from January 1,2025, and also approved the construction of new projects namely, construction of a 12.5km road spanning Ibesit-Ikot Oto-Ikot Ekpenyong-Ikot Akama-Itung-Ediene Attai-Ikot Ebak in Oruk Anam and Mkpat Enin Local Government Areas; a 2.7km road from Nto Obio Akpan-Ikot Obong-Urua Akpan in Essien Udim Local Government Areas; a 2km road from Ikot Uso-Udo Atan-NtoObodemMbiaso in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area; a 10.9km road with two 40m-span bridges spanning Nsai Use-Use Ikot Amama-Ibiaku Ikot Erica-Itong Nkwot Edem Edet in Ibiono Ibom and IkonoLocal Government Areas; re-awarding of the 21.5km Ikot Ayan Ediene-Ikot Nita-Urua Naira-Ikot Nseyen-Nkwot-Nnung Ukim road, including a 45m-span bridge, in Ikono Local Government Area; construction of a 2km access road to the School of Health Technology in Etinan Local Government Area, and a 7.7km road, including State Housing Road with spur, Ikot Obiokpon/IbongRoad with spur, and Mount Zion Road with spurs in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area.
The information commissioner furthered that a presentation was made by the senior special assistant to the governor on Brand Management and Marketing, Mr. Raphael Edem, on activities of his office, during which the Council directed all government offices and MDAs to comply strictly with the brand specifications provided by the SSA to ensure uniformity, while the commissioner for culture and tourism, Sir Charles Udoh, updated the Council on preparations for Christmas activities set to commence on December 1, 2024, during which the Council praised the efforts and urged Udoh to ensure a seamless event.
Other presentations at the meeting, according to Ememobong, were the reports on the pothole assessment and repairs by the commissioner for works and fire service, Professor Eno Ibanga, who assured that the state was on course to achieve a “no pothole” status, as well as the Environmental Protection report by the chairman of the State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, Prince Ikim, who shared the agency’s progress and plans.
The commissioner mentioned that the governor at the meeting had emphasised the need for all government offices as well as Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) to be proactive and deliver on their mandates with precision and urgency, while also underscoring the administration’s zero tolerance for mediocrity and failure to meet targets.
He said the governor also charged the State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency(AKSEPWMA), headed by Prince Ikim, to ensure the State remains clean and green while tasking the Ministry of Works and Fire Service, headed by Professor Eno Ibanga, to ensure contractors deliver quality results on all projects in the state as the state stays on course at achieving its “no pothole” status.