Gov Otu Pledges Transparent, Full Implementation of 2024 Budget

The Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, has said that the state’s 2024 budget will be fully implemented under transparent supervision.

He stated this on Friday in Calabar while declaring open a 1-day stakeholders’ budget consultative forum.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Peter Odey, said when the budget was finally passed, his administration would ensure that its implementation ratio was transparent for everyone to see.

“We will ensure that this budget is implemented to the very letter. If we do not implement it appropriately, then we stand the risk of not creating the right opportunity to reduce poverty and hunger or improve healthcare in the state.

“We are on track to having the right budget in 2024, a budget that will build Cross River, improve infrastructure, education, healthcare, the standard of living and the transport sectors.

“We cannot create wealth as a government if we do not budget adequately. We cannot even employ because we would not know the number of people to employ,” Otu said.

In his keynote address, the state Commissioner for Finance, Mike Odere, noted that since resources are scarce, the government must ensure proper allocation and utilisation.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Atim Ekpenyong, Odere said top government functionaries needed to ensure that projects were executed on time through better management of both human and material resources.

He said that effective resource utilisation ensured productivity as it prevented staff from underperforming and being overburdened by workload.

According to him, it reduced risks of oversights as well as the management of projects with better visibility, among others.

Similarly, the chairman, State Assembly House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr. Cyril Omini, stressed the need to put in place a budget that aligned with the needs of the people.

According to him, “Budgetary process affects each and every one of us, our well-being, personal goals and aspirations.

“Therefore, we must all take an active part in the budgetary process and work towards coming up with a budget that is focused on making a difference in the lives of our people,” Omini said.

Omini further enjoined stakeholders to look beyond individual interests and work towards a common goal for the good of the state and citizenry.

NAN