Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, on Wednesday, December 11th, 2024, presented his 2025 Budget christened “Budget of Human Capital Development, Food Security, and Digital Economy,” to the State House of Assembly, in Makurdi.
Addressing the legislators at the State Assembly complex, Governor Alia said the proposed budget, which is designed to ensure continued progress, prosperity, and well-being for all citizens of the state, has an aggregate expenditure of Five Hundred and Fifty Billion, One Hundred and Twelve Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Eight Thousand, Nine Hundred and Thirty Naira, Forty-Five Kobo only (N550,112,988,930.45).
He said the 2025 budget will serve as a roadmap to a brighter, more sustainable future, with a bold and ambitious plan, grounded in the realities of the present times and in the aspirations of the people.
In the budget, infrastructure development is top priority with a budgeted sum of N110,022,597,786.09, representing 20%, followed by agriculture which has a proposed budget of N84,081,754,982.67 representing 15.28% while Education and the Health sectors each have a budget of N82,516,948,339.57, representing 15%.
While addressing the other areas captured in the budget, the governor added that 0.93% of the budget will address programs aimed at improving social protection, such as unemployment benefits, housing, and poverty alleviation initiatives, while also evolving strategies for the three IDP pathways.
“In an effort to leave no one behind, Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, we have allocated 0.93% of the budget for programs aimed at improving social protection, which includes unemployment benefits, housing, and poverty alleviation initiatives, while also evolving strategies for the three IDP pathways: Resettlement, Relocation, and Returnees.
“Furthermore, sports, youth development and creativity being an integral part of our development efforts will be funded from 0.93% of the total budget. In essence, this budget proposes to increase funding for facilities that support sports development and local talent hunt in the state. It is also the intent of the budget to empower small businesses and startups to thrive. In 2025, we will implement programs to provide financial support, training, and mentorship to entrepreneurs, particularly in tech-driven industries. Votes amounting to 10.68% of the budget are allocated for this purpose,” the governor explained.
On the development challenges and progress made so far, governor Alia said the negative implications associated with an unpaid workforce, has been stabilized, with the 70,000 minimum wage also fully implemented, adding that there is massive ongoing infrastructure rehabilitations, as well as an improved security in the state.
According to the Governor, through the Bureau of International Cooperation and Development, the state has enjoyed substantial grants from donors, totalling Eighty-Five Billion and Seventeen Million, Six Hundred and Twenty-One Thousand, One Hundred and Eleven Naira, Eleven Kobo Only (N85,017,621,111.11K), with forty-six (46) slots for Benue sons and daughters, on the UNITED Nations Volunteer Full Funded Scholarship Program.
He explained that due to the adjustments that were made in the 2024 budget, the overall budget amount for 2024 came to an aggregate sum of Three hundred and Seventy-Three Billion, Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Sixty-Seven Thousand, Three Hundred and Nineteen Naira Only (N373,020,567,319).
This according to the governor, represented a 65.3% increase over the original 2024 Budget, primarily due to built-in buffers, enabling the state to absorb shocks arising from macroeconomic uncertainties.
He assured that in order to ensure fiscal transparency, and fiscal strengthening in the state and local government system, the 2025 budget will be coordinated by the Budget and Economic Planning Commission, under his watch.