Calabar, Cross River State – Otu Otu Ita, Special Adviser to the Governor of Cross River state on Budget Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation, has announced that the budget implementation report for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024 will be made public on or before the 28th of April 2024. Speaking at the 2024 budget implementation conversation held at the state budget office on the 11th of April 2024, Ita emphasized the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in fiscal management NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
“The report is going to tell you a story of the activities of government,” stated SA Ita to newsmen immediately after the session. “It’s just a clear story of this is how much government received in this particular quarter, and this is how the money was being used.” He highlighted the focus on infrastructure development, noting that the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure is expected to show significant performance in the first quarter, given the ongoing projects and provisions made for infrastructure development across various sectors.
“It is not only the Ministry of Works that is responsible for the construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure,” Ita explained. “Projects such as the state library and the hospital in Ikom are handled by other ministries but are equally part of the state’s infrastructure development initiatives.”
The budget implementation conversation which provided stakeholders with insights into the progress and allocation of resources within the state’s fiscal framework, is adjudged to serve as a platform for discussing the effective utilization of budgetary allocations to drive sustainable development and address the needs of the Cross River populace.
As the state prepares to publish its first quarter budget implementation report, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to accountability, transparency, and prudent financial management in advancing the state’s development agenda.
The first quarter budget implementation report, promises to provide a comprehensive overview of the state’s fiscal performance and priorities according feelers.
Recall that the 10th Cross River State House of Assembly (CRSHA) led by Hon. Elvert Ayambem passed the state’s 2024 appropriation bill, christened “The People’s First Budget,” on 29th December 2023. The 10th CRSHA passed a bill in the sum of N296.96 billion, which is N46.4 billion more than the N250.6 billion bill presented by Governor Bassey Edet Otu on 26th October 2023. The Cross River assembly passed the bill after the finance and appropriation committee invited various ministries, departments, and agencies as well as the organised civil society for the defense of their budgets.
