Tuesday <strong>22</strong> <strong>May</strong> <strong>2018</strong> 36 BUSINESS DAY THE BIG HEART DIGEST In association with Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Developement Agency (DEMSMA) Okowa not ready to abandon any project •Assures of quick returns on investment MERCY ENOCH, Asaba Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, is confident that the various developmental projects embarked upon by his administration would stand the test of time but he wants the people of the state to be part of the monitoring of the projects just as he allayed fear over project abandonment. The projects are numerous to mention ranging from infrastructural projects including 193 roads, building of markets and schools as well as entrepreneurship and vocational centres, upgrading of technical/vocational schools, reconstructing of secondary schools and even establishing more. Others are constructing of storm water drain to tackle flooding and its effects, construction of regional water schemes, constructing of fish feed mills, constructing of garri processing centres, multi-billion dollar refinery through Public Private Partnership (PPP), establishment of agro-industrial parks amongst others. Across the nation, history reveals projects that are abandoned once the initiator bows out of office as his successor often comes in and refuses to continue with the projects. Gov Okowa seems to be different as he continued where his predecessor, Emmanuel Uduaghan stopped by completing the projects he (Uduaghan) started. Now, IGNATIUS CHUKWU This is the conclusion of the budget of Delta State in <strong>2018</strong> which is aimed at moving the economy of the state forward. The review is aimed at helping the citizens and investors understand the fiscal policies of the Ifeanyi Okowa administration for effective citizenship. Review of the preformance of 2017 budget (January – September) Mr Speaker, a review Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa (l), and Hostcom State chairman, Delta State Chapter, Gabriel Isibeluo, during a courtesy call on the governor, by the chairman and exco of Hostcom in government house Asaba. he wants the people to believe his word that the numerous projects embarked upon by his administration must be completed. “We will not abandon any project”, he assured. He gave the assurance during the empowerment programme organized by the member representing Okpe Constituency and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori at Osubi, Okpe Local Government Area of the state. “We are aware of the numerous projects going on in different parts of the state, for every project that we set out to execute, we will complete it, we will not abandon any project because, every project is as a result of well thought out process, I am passionate about the development of the state.”, he stressed. Okowa also clarified why his administration embarked of the 2017 approved budget shows that the budget (B) EXPENDITURE size was based •Urges industrialists to invest in Delta State on massive construction of roads across the state, asserting, “road is very important for the development of any community.” The governor however believes that monitoring of projects being executed by his administration should be collective as the projects should stand the test of time. He was addressing members of the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) led by Gabriel Isibeluo, an engineer, when they paid him a courtesy call at Government House, Asaba. Okowa expressed confidence that the contractors handling the different projects are capable of delivering projects in line with job specifications. While urging Deltans to freely reach him or his aides if they notice any project being executed shoddily, just Editorial coordinator’s corner: Understanding Delta’s <strong>2018</strong> fiscal direction: Review of 2017 budget (A) REVENUE S/N Sources Approved % 2017 Budget Appropriation I Ii Internally Generated Revenue 70,165,959,503 23.83 Statutory Allocation Including Mineral Revenue Derivation 148,939,012,121 50.58 Iii Value Added Tax 10,515,786,230 3.57 Iv Other Capital Receipts 64,836,282,623 <strong>22</strong>.02 Total 294,457,040,472 100.00 on revenue projections from the State’s Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), as he described HOSTCOM as a voice to the various oil producing communities or communities that are impacted by oil. The state government, he said, would continue to partner with HOSTCOM, hoping that the body would be involved in the monitoring of the projects. “We have a lot of projects across the state and I want to see my projects done rightly”, the governor insisted. On the other hand, the governor has urged industrialists to utilize opportunities of quick returns on their investments to do business in Delta State. Raw materials for the manufacturing of different products abound in the state, he said, adding that apart from the fact that the state is peaceful and conducive for business activities, (A) REVENUE skilled and unskilled labour are readily available in the oil and gas rich state. He said this when Babatunde Savage, chairman Guinness Nigeria PLC, led manage- I Internally Generated ment of the company to pay him Ii a courtesy Statutory visit Allocation Government House Including annex, Mineral Warri. which is a key element in the Medium Term Economic Framework (MTEF) and annual budget process that determines the aggregate resources available to “Delta State is a peaceful state, any investor coming this way will have a lot of skilled labour because our people value education a lot, we also have unskilled labourers to feed the Labour needs of the companies, as we are sure they will have quick returns on their investments, “ the Governor said. He went on, “we are trying to scale up the employment of our youths in the state and any meaningful venture that can take out our youths from the streets will be welcomed.” Gov Okowa disclosed that his administration embarked on different programmes to equip the youths of the state to be entrepreneurs, observing that the population of the country was growing at an alarming rates and efforts should be made to proactively work to ensure that it did not lead to crisis in the country. He commended Guinness 2017 Nigeria Budget Plc for Appropriation adding a new brand of beer to its stock and S/N Sources Approved % urged the company to meet Revenue 70,165,959,503 23.83 with its social responsibilities and also, create more job opportunities for the youths. Revenue Derivation 148,939,012,121 50.58 Iii Value Added Tax 10,515,786,230 3.57 Iv Other Capital Receipts 64,836,282,623 <strong>22</strong>.02 Total 294,457,040,472 100.00 (B) EXPENDITURE S/N Details Approved % 2017 Budget Appropriation I Recurrent Expenditure 158,013,660,828 57.16 Ii Capital Expenditure 136,443,379,649. 42.84 Total 294,457,040,472 100.00 fund the Government’s projects and programmes from a fiscally sustainable perspective. The profile of the 2017 budget is as follows: Hope alive for Delta Youths: Job creation scheme to be sustained MERCY ENOCH, Asaba Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has said that efforts are on ground for a legislation that would establish the Job and Wealth Creation Programme initiated by his administration, to be sustained beyond the current tenure. There is also hope that the STEP and YAGEP Business Fair/ Exhibition which maiden edition held last December specifically for STEPrenuers and YAGEPrenuers, would now be an annual event as process is being put in place by the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer for the <strong>2018</strong> edition of the event. Already, the governor said the state executive council last week Tuesday, began the finetunning of the process to commence the 4th cycle of the Skills Training and Entreprenuership Programme (STEP) and Youth Agricultural Entreprenuers Programme (YAGEP), considering the success stories of the first and second cycles which had caused World Bank State Employment and Expenditure for Result (SEEFOR) to have a level of confidence that has led to it partnering with the state government in funding the 3rd cycle of the programme. Okowa made the disclosure during the induction ceremony of the 745 beneficiaries of the STEP and YAGEP 3rd cycle 2017/<strong>2018</strong> at Orchid Hotel, Asaba, Wednesday last week. “I am truly very excited that I have had this opportunity to talk with you. And because we are confident that you will do well, we are already starting the process of a 4th cycle.” He explained that the state’s executive council would by this Tuesday, give approval for the fourth cycle. According to him, there are new introduction in this 4th cycle because communities, religious bodies and other persons would be involved. He added: “We are also looking forward to engaging those who have been trained even before now but they have not had opportunity to start their own lives. Such people, he said the state would take them up and have them go through refresher course and then establish them. “We will not relent in our efforts to continually engage the youths of the state in such a manner that would keep hope alive in these very difficult times. But by God’s grace, the difficult times are getting over. Delta State is getting more peaceful and our youths are getting more fruitful and we would not dash their hopes. We will work with them in partnership to ensure that we will bring meaning to their lives and that those who bite their fingers would not bite their fingers anymore”, He asserted. S/N Details Approved % 2017 Budget Appropriation
Tuesday <strong>22</strong> <strong>May</strong> <strong>2018</strong> BUSINESS DAY 37
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