Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, yesterday presented the 2017 budget of N163. 9 billion christened “budget of rural transformation” to the State House of Assembly.
Making the presentation, he stated that the economic sector had the highest allocation of N88 billion followed by the social sector with N48 billion.
Governor Ortom stated that the recurrent expenditure would be N66 billion or 40 percent while capital expenditure would be N93 billion representing 60 percent of the total budget.
“The focus of government in 2017 will be rural transformation as it would embark on massive construction of rural access roads,” he stated.
“Our desire is that at the end of four years, every rural community in Benue State should be connected to another through planned rural roads.”
Governor Ortom stated that that would be done along with rural electrification to boost economic activities within the state while government would continue to make deliberate efforts to encourage cluster settlements in order to facilitate the provision of essential services and improved security.
He said the heartbeat of his administration’s economic agenda was linked to improved agriculture adding that the sector would be made attractive to the people of the state.
“With value addition through processing of agricultural produce the sector would become an attractive business,” adding that “we will embark on massive land clearing and mechanization with effective use of tractors.”
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