Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has presented the 2025 budget of N936bn to the state House of Assembly today, November 14, 2024, highlighting the achievements of his administration in the last one year.
Addressing the House, Gov. Oborevwori acknowledged the economic challenges facing the state government since his administration took office in May 2023, citing high inflation, youth unemployment, infrastructure needs, and insecurity.
Gov. Oborevwori held that despite these challenges, his administration’s priorities remain focused on fiscal discipline, resource allocation, youth opportunities, public service efficiency, and support for vulnerable populations affected by national economic reforms.
He however said that in 2025, his administration aims to complete ongoing projects, expand the state’s revenue base through reforms in internally generated revenue strategies, enhance transparency, and implement cost-control measures.
Other objectives include improving healthcare, supporting MSMEs to stimulate job creation, creating an investor-friendly environment, empowering vulnerable groups, monitoring government projects, implementing electricity sector reforms, and bolstering food security with a Special Agric Processing Zone.
Gov. Oborevwori highlighted efforts to manage finances prudently without borrowing, stating that through a bottom-up budgeting process and cost-saving measures, the administration reduced the state’s debt stock by approximately 34.6 percent, from N465.3 billion to N303.4 billion.
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Also, he said his administration introduced cost controls measures and prioritization that allowed the state government to fund infrastructural projects without borrowing.
The governor also stated the state implemented social welfare schemes for petty traders, artisans, and female entrepreneurs, which have benefited over 5,400 individuals, while 6,000 farmers were empowered with agricultural inputs to support food security.
His administration, Gov. Oborevwori added, has prioritized education by paying bursary to 30,000 Delta State students in tertiary institutions, provided financial aid to Delta indigenes in law schools across the country, and expending N29.2 million in support for children of deceased civil servants and physically challenged students.
To support rural development, Gov. Oborevwori said his administration has paid N3.55 billion as the state’s share of the 2024 counterpart funding for the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and N600 million to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) office, aiming to improve rural infrastructure and services.
“The government continues to address pension arrears, with N500 million monthly allocated to pension benefits and N400 million released as employer contributions. Since taking office, N15.9 billion has been disbursed to cover pension benefits, with the administration aiming to eliminate payment delays”, he added.
Gov. Oborevwori concluded by emphasizing his administration’s commitment to addressing the needs of Delta State citizens in 2025, through disciplined governance, transparency, and a focus on development across all regions of the state.
