Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has presented a budget proposal of N197,743,684,031 to the state House of Assembly for the 2013 fiscal year.

The amount represents 34.4% recurrent expenditure or N63,550,209,564 and 67.53% capital expenditure which represents N132,183,474,467. An estimated revenue projection from recurrent sources for the year and capital receipt stand at N93,889,888,530 and N101,853,795,501 respectively.

In the budget christened “Rescue Budget 2”, Gov. Okorocha said an expenditure of N59,171,065,600 representing 47.29% of the total capital receipt will be allocated to the economic sector which comprises agriculture, petroleum and environment, housing, lands, commerce and industry, works, transport, public utilities and rural development.

The governor explained that the 2013 budget is anchored on the 2012-2015 Medium Term Expenditure Framework otherwise known as Imo Rescue Development Plan earlier approved by the state’s lawmakers as the capital allocations and projects in the budget remain part of the entire package.

He maintained that government would pursue policies and programmes aimed at revamping the agricultural sector after several decades of negligence to ensure that Imo contributes to Nigeria's food security agenda, adding such step will lead to an increased productivity in the areas of rice, livestock, fish, vegetable and fruits, poultry, cassava and oil pal production.

Gov. Okorocha also projected a grant of about N378,958,400 that will be attracted within the year under the United Nation Development Assistant Framework  (UNDAF 11) Plan while 1,000 of housing units of various categories would be constructed to address the housing need of Imolites.

He said his administration would partner effectively with a foreign company to build a per-cast concrete factory while vocational centers would be established in Orlu and Okigwe for artisans.

In the transport and aviation sector, Gov. Okorocha said his administration would continue to explore the possibility of setting up an airline in partnership with the private sector with new commuter buses and cars purchased to complement the services of Imo Transport Company (ITC) and Imo Municipal Transport Services (IMTS).

He assured that all ongoing road projects would be completed in 2013. He also gave assurances on the purchase of new road construction equipment to reinforce the technical capacity of the work ministry, procurement of four new fire fighting engines for the three zones of the state and government house, installation of micro water schemes for regular water supply, and establishment of a Fire Training School as well as a new fire station in Owerri.

In the education sector, Gov. Okorocha said beyond implementing the free and qualitative education programme at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, government would provide technical equipment for full accreditation of the four technical colleges in the state and complete ongoing construction and renovation projects in primary and secondary schools.

Other major highlights of the budget include the completion and equipping the ultra-modern diagnostic dialysis centre and the 27 new general hospitals under construction, sustain and consolidate the gains of the health-at-your-doorstep programme to reduce common health conditions, continue the effort towards developing pharmaceutical warehouse, construct a new house of assembly complex that would be equipped with e-library, Internet facilities and general networking system and completion of the Orlu and Okigwe ultra-modern stadia.

•Photo: Governor Okorocha.