Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has presented the 2025 budget proposals to the House of Assembly.
In Edo, Okpebholo presented the 2025 budget estimate of N605.7 billion to the State House of Assembly for consideration and approval. Tagged ‘Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo,’ the governor listed five points including security, infrastructural development, healthcare, food sufficiency and education.
He also added that the budget was prepared with the aim of achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government. Okpebholo said the budget estimate was 25 per cent higher than that of 2024.
He said the sum of N223 billion, representing 37 per cent, was allocated to recurrent expenditure while N381 billion, representing 63 per cent, was for capital expenditure.
The governor gave the sectoral breakdown of the budget as N162 billion for road development across the state, N48 billion for education, N63.9 billion for health, N1.8 billion for the health insurance scheme and N4.5 billion for the agricultural sub-sector.
Okpebholo, who explained that the proposed Appropriation Bill was a product of wide consultations, opined that it would ensure accountability and transparency in governance for responsive service delivery to the people of Edo State.
He said: “The 2025 proposed budget is designed to achieve the goals of my five-point agenda, which are security, infrastructural, development, healthcare, food sufficiency and education.
“Agriculture plays a pivotal role in food production, as well as revenue generation and job creation. It is, therefore, the desire of this administration to strengthen the agricultural sector, particularly in the areas of farm mechanization. We shall pay special attention to the security of our farmers and ensure our farmlands are safe.
“Accordingly, the sum of N 4.5 billion has been proposed in 2025 budget estimates for the agricultural sub-sector.”Okpebholo thanked the Speaker and members of the state House of Assembly, adding that he has highlighted the major policy objectives of the 2025 budget, aimed at uplifting the socio-economic conditions of the people.