Akwa Ibom, Imo Governors Sign 2025 Appropriation Bills into Law

Okon Bassey in Uyo

Akwa Ibom State government is to spend the sum of N955 billion in the 2025 financial year.

This followed the signing of the State’s 2025 appropriation bill tagged, “Budget of Consolidation and Expansion,” into law by the State Governor, Umo Eno.

Also yesterday, Governor Hope Uzodimma signed into law the Imo State 2025 appropriation bill that was raised by the State’s Assembly to N807 billion from the N756 billion presented to them by the Governor.

Uzodimma pledged full and faithful implementation of the budget.

In Akwa Ibom State, the Governor signed the bill at the State Government House, Uyo, with the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Udeme Otong; members of the State Executive Council, and some members of the state legislature in attendance.

At the signing ceremony, Governor Eno lauded members of the State  House of  Assembly for the expeditious passage of the appropriation bill.

He acknowledges the synergy and unity of purpose between the executive and the legislative arms in the implementation of government policies and programmes.

He sued for sustainable partnership and collaboration in order to deliver on the dividends of democracy to the people in line with his administration’s ARISE Agenda blueprint covering Agriculture, Rural development, Infrastructure and Social Empowerment.

The House of Assembly had on December 24, 2024, passed the 2025 appropriation bill into law, following the adoption of the report by the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation and Finance, Dr. Itoro Etim.

Following the adoption, the House had dissolved into the Committee of Whole, to consider the report, after which it was read the third time and passed into law by the lawmakers.

The budget has a component of recurrent expenditure of N300 billion and N655 billion for capital expenditure.

The 2025 budget outlay represents a three percent increase from the N923.412 billion revised provision of 2024.

Meanwhile, in Imo, Governor Uzodimma signed into law the State’s 2025 appropriation bill.

According to a statement, in signing the bill into law at the New Exco Chambers, Government House Owerri, Uzodimma noted that what the lawmakers did by increasing the original figures he presented before them showed an alignment between the Executive and the legislature in providing essential services to the people.

The Governor who further expressed satisfaction over the expeditious passage of the appropriation bill and tinkering with the original numbers, said the lawmakers through their action have challenged the executive to commence work without delay on the 2025 budget.

“The appropriation signed into law still maintains the Governor’s consistency in allocating huge chunk of the budget to capital expenditure in 2025 to the tune of N694,786,041,220 or 86.09 percent of the total sum.

“For the recurrent expenditure, N112,302,000,000 or 13.91 percent was approved.

“In the now signed budget, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructural Development gets  N297,509,312,778  or 42.8 percent, the Ministry of Transport, N101,010,000,000  or 14.5 percent and the Ministry of Power and Electrification,  N74,755,479,042  or 10.8 percent.”

The statement added: “In the same vein, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security was allocated N50,020,000,000 or 7.2 percent of the budget; the Ministry of Education, N49,460,000,000 or 7.1 percent while the Ministry of Health gets N31,933,234,000 or 4.65 percent.”

In his remarks after signing the appropriation bill into law, Uzodimma said: “I have just signed into law the 2025 Imo State appropriation bill, which now has the force of law and serves as the financial operational manual for the state.

“While I initially proposed a budget of Seven Hundred and Fifty-Six Billion Naira for the year, the State House of Assembly, in its wisdom, adjusted it to N807 billion. It shows the alignment between the Executive and the Legislature in providing essential infrastructure and services to the people of the State.

“The total 2025 budget, as amended by the Assembly and signed into law is N807,088,041,220. Capital allocation: N694,786,041,220 or 86.09 percent. Recurrent allocation: N112,302,000,000 or 13.91 percent.

“I commend the Speaker and members of the House of Assembly for the expeditious passage of the Appropriation Bill and for increasing the initial budget estimate. This patriotic gesture challenges the executive to commence work immediately.

“As outlined in my recent budget speech, this ‘Budget of Expanded Economic Opportunities’ is designed to drive the economic transformation of our state through improved infrastructure and industrialisation.

“Beyond focusing on making our economy one of the fastest-growing in the region, we aim to position the state as a prime destination for genuine investors.

“My dear people of Imo State, I pledge to fully and faithfully implement this budget to achieve its goals. We will create expanded economic opportunities through investment and job creation. Ndi Imo shall be the beneficiaries.

“I urge everyone and all stakeholders to support this administration in our endeavor to set Imo State on a path of sustainable development.”

Earlier in his speech ahead of the signing, the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Chike Olemgbe, explained that the appropriation bill presented to them was carefully crafted, a situation that made their job easy and seamless.

He noted that the proposal showed that the Governor was determined to give Imo people “Expanded Economic Opportunities” as contained in the budget.

Gbajabiamila Celebrates 2025 Surulere Baby of the Year

•Visits motherless babies’ home, doles out foodstuffs, cash gifts

Chief of Staff to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Wednesday, unveiled and celebrated the 2025 Surulere Baby of the Year.

Gbajabiamila, who served as the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives (2019-2023), has been celebrating the Surulere Baby of the Year since his days in the House of Representatives.

He was in a joyous mood when he visited the Gbaja Maternal and Child Care Centre, Surulere, where the Baby of the Year, named Ikeatu Okika Chiamaka, was born at about 12 am. through a cesarean section and weighed 3kg at birth.

Also, there was a second baby delivered at about 1:15.am and named Uzochukwu Chiwendu, weighing 3kg.

Gbajabiamila, who gave out cash gifts, foodstuffs, and other items to cater for the Baby of the Year and the second baby, also went around the maternal section of the hospital to greet and extend hand of fellowship to other women who were delivered of babies at different times.

Similarly, the Chief of Staff to the President visited the Heart of Gold Children Hospice, a motherless babies’ home and a safe haven for children with special needs, where he also donated cash gifts, foodstuffs, sanitary items and others.

Gbajabiamila was taken around the facilities, which houses about 70 children, by the founder of the home, Mrs. Adelaja Adedoyin.

He assured of his continuous support for the motherless babies’ home, even as he thanked the founder for her unwavering commitment toward providing shelter for the babies, as well as children with special needs.