A budget of N672 billion for Akwa Ibom State for the year 2019 has been signed into law by the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, on Wednesday March 20th March, 2019.
According to the press statement released after the budget was signed into law. The ceremony of the signing of the budget into law was witness by the leadership of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, led by the Deputy Speaker, Felicia Bassey at the Government House, Uyo the Akwa Ibom State capital. The press statement released also stated that the ceremony was graced by the Commissioner for Finance, Linus Nkan and the Attorney General of the State and Commissioner for Justice, Uwemedimo Nwoko.
The commissioner of finance, Mr. Linus Nkan told reporters after the budget was signed into law by the state governor that the budget is a “Budget of Industrialisation for Poverty Alleviation”. The budget according to Mr.Linus Nkan is intended to help actualise the industrialisation and job creation agenda of the administration.
The Commissioner for Education, Victor Inoka, told reporters that the governor has granted approval for the state’s college of education to become a degree-awarding institution. He also state that the college was now affiliated to the University of Uyo.
A review of the draft of the budget presented to the state House of Assembly in November, 2018 by Governor Udom Emmanuel shows that roads, works and transport was allocated N157.31 billion, which the biggest sum in the budget, N53.6 billion was proposed for housing and urban renewal, while N13 billion was for agriculture, About N15 billion was for education, and N10 billion for law and justice.
