Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has formally presented the state’s budget proposal of N150.645billion for the 2016 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly in Yenagoa for consideration.
Dickson christened the 2016 Appropriation Bill as “Budget of Transition”.
Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson, who presided over proceedings, received the document from Dickson.
Of the figure, N99.380b would be expected as recurrent receipts while capital receipts stand at N51.265b.
On expenditure, the state government intends to expend N43.126b as personnel cost, overhead N20.270b, consolidated revenue fund charges N6.850b and capital expenditure N25.399b.
Dickson also allocated N5.200b to Works and Infrastructure, Education N4bn, Health N2bn, Sport N1bn, Community Development N1.7bn and Agriculture and Natural Resources N1.365bn.
Others include Tourism N1.150b, Housing N1b,Transport N1.420b, Power N720m, Water Resources N384.240m, Information N460m, Finance N200m and Budget and Economic Planning N250m.
The governor also told the 24-member Assembly that “security will receive massive investment” in view of the magnitude of violence that characterised the just-concluded state governorship election in which he emerged victorious for another four-year term.
Curiously, Dickson did not announce allocations to the Ministries of Environment, Science, Technology and Manpower Development, Culture and Ijaw National Affairs, Mineral Resources, and Women and Social Development in the 2016 budget.
He, however, hinted that he would forward a supplementary budget to the Assembly if the revenue allocations to Bayelsa from the Federation Account and other revenue sources improved.
Dickson said the budget would prioritize the completion of ongoing projects and programmes of the state in the new fiscal year, stressing that government would also think of ingenious ways of up-scaling internally generated revenue.
