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The Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has presented a budget of N330 billion for 2023, christened, ‘Budget of Quantum Infinitum.’
Ayade, who presented the appropriation bill, yesterday, before the state House of Assembly in Calabar, the state capital, said it is citizens’ budget, designed to focus on the people to help them survive during this difficult transition.
He said: “We have appropriated N330 billion for 2023, and 39 per cent of the budget is for recurrent expenditure, which is N130 billion, while capital expenditure is taking 69 per cent, and that is N200 billion to kinetically crystalise projects.
“The 39 per cent is for payment of salaries, gratuities, pensions and everything that will address issues of extreme poverty and criminality, creating a Cross River that is sane, which is the primary purpose of government.
“The budget is one that will help my people survive during this difficult transition.”
According to the governor, 69 per cent of the budget is intended to complete outstanding projects under his administration.
He, however, appealed to Federal Government to support the state’s 2023 budget, saying: “Most of the projects are finished. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to support Cross River’s N330 billion budget to complete our industrialisation process.”
Last year, Ayade presented an Appropriation Bill of N276 billion for the 2022 fiscal year before the state House of Assembly, christened ‘Budget of Conjugated Agglutination.’