Posted by By Tony Amadi on
The chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Chief (Hon) Ejor Ngowoh Ejor, on Thursday presented the year's budget proposal to the Legislative Assembly at the council headquarters in Ogale, Eleme.
The chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Chief (Hon) Ejor Ngowoh Ejor, on Thursday presented the year's budget proposal to the Legislative Assembly at the council headquarters in Ogale, Eleme.
Tagged budget of "hope revitalization", the projected revenue of N977, 659, 869.00 appreciated by N131, 050, 995.00 over last year's budget of N846, 608,874.00, and is expected to be realized from internally generated revenue (N150, 020,750) and the projected statutory allocation from federal account (N20, 520, 250.00), as approximate recurrent revenue, while the value added tax (VAT), projected to be N212, 500, 740.00, approximately, is capital receipt. There is a corresponding recurrent expenditure for the period put at 65% of total projection.
The chairman, in his address to the assembly, noted that both arms of the local government were committed to a good, responsible and responsive government and to the upliftment of the welfare of the people.
He enumerated goals and objectives achieved in the past one year to include: improvement in the level of internally generated revenue, heath and educational development, promotion of staff, accelerated completion of Obo Nwake road and other rural infrastructural facilities, completion of Onne ultra-modern park, and provision of potable water in Nchia communities.
The leader of the Assembly, Honourable Olungwe Nkpon, who received copy of the proposal, commended the chairman for his strides, while the councilor representing Ogali, in a response, described the chairman as pragmatic and promised that the assembly would ensure the enabling environment for him to achieve his goals.
Later, the chairman told journalists that budget for 2004 fiscal year, though largely inhibited by some obnoxious laws, was about 80% achieved, which would be improved upon with fraud proof measures now in place.
He pointed out that the administration was in progressive dialogue with companies in the area to generate more employment opportunities for the youths of the area as well as create an enabling environment for these youths to achieve self-employment.
Honourable Ejor used the forum to express his desire to have the state government extend its sanitation apparatus to Eleme to help the local authorities cope with the pressure resulting from the large integration of industrial experts from all over the world.
He contended that the task of environmental maintenance was very huge for the council alone to handle since the area is the next most vibrant and flowing after Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas.