By Ani Bassey
The Cross River State governor, Professor Ben Ayade has presented N276 billion naira budget estimates for 2022 to the state House of Assembly.
The budget is tagged “Conjugated Agglutination” has N106 billion set aside for recurrent expenditure while N170 billion is for capital projects.
The governor said the budget is so-called because it is a cascade of so many projects, back to back to ensure their completion. Putting all together to form a new envelope, that when it explodes you will see a new prosperity agenda
Presenting the budget, the governor said his government was not going to embark on any new project but will concentrate on ensuring that all the projects which he has so embarked on were completed.
Ayade said: “The 2022 budget tries to marry reality, certainty, aspiration, and hope. It is a budget that will ensure that all the projects embarked upon are completed.”
Professor Ayade said to address the rising pension and gratuities in the state, N30 to N50 million sinking fund will be set aside monthly to address this liability.
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The governor said, “it is his dream that all retirees get their gratuity and pensions because we will all grow old”.
The governor also said his administration has developed a master plan for the state which covers land, sea and air transportation and this covers all the three Senatorial zones of the state.
All six members of the People’s Democratic Party boycotted the budget presentation by the governor.
