Cross River allocates N3bn for constituency projects

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers

The Cross River House of Assembly has allocated N3billion for constituency projects in 2016, the Speaker, Mr John Gaul-Lebo, has said.

The Speaker said on Thursday in Calabar that the projects, spread across the 25 state constituencies, would have direct impact on the people.

Gaul-Lebo said the projects would cover provision of boreholes, renovation of schools and hospitals, construction of modern markets, town halls and culverts among others.

According to him, the assembly had slashed the 2016 budget from N303 billion to N259.15 billion, due to the present economic challenges.

“In view of the present economic challenges, we have slashed the state budget from the original amount of N303 billion earlier passed in February, to N259.15 billion.

“The slash is to help us manage what we have.

“The fall in the price of oil and the present economic recession necessitated our move to slash the budget and it was passed into law on Oct. 21.

“In the revised budget, we have allocated the sum of N3 billion for constituency projects across the 25 state constituencies.

“We have also added some key projects that were not in the initial budget.

“As the rains winds down, we are expected to start the implementation of the budget soon,’’ he said.

The speaker remarked that the budget was a tool for state planning, assuring that members would perform their over-sight functions creditably to ensure completion of projects.

“In the revised budget, we have taken away some projects, which were to take place during the 2016 rainy season, to the 2017 budget.

“With our Fiscal Responsibility Law, the 2017 budget is to become operational by the end of March 2017.

“Our budget is meant to focus on major construction of projects that would add value to the people,’’ he said.