The Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has signed the N971 billion 2025 Appropriation Bill into law, vowing that his administration would diligently implement the budget to achieve the target of exponential economic growth and inclusive prosperity for the state.

The budget comprises N837.9 billion Capital Expenditure, representing 86 per cent of the budget, and a Recurrent Expenditure component of N133.1 billion, representing only 14 per cent of the budget, with education getting N320.6 billion, representing over 33 per cent and largest share of the total budget for the second consecutive year.

Appending his signature to the document in a brief ceremony witnessed by members of the Enugu State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu; Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ezenta Ezeani, and members of the House, yesterday, Mbah thanked the lawmakers for the speedy passage of the budget, describing it as a massive Christmas gift to the people of the state.

“What we are witnessing here today is democracy in action. We christened our budget, ‘Budget of Exponential Growth and Inclusive Prosperity’, because it is at the heart of everything we do in the state. If you look at the development model adopted, it is one that takes into account the development challenges we have across our state because as I have always said, we are only as good as our weakest link.

So, we have a responsibility to make sure that nobody and no section of the state is left out. “Again, in terms of growth, we recognised very early in the day that marginal growth or incremental growth model will not cut it for us.

The rest of the world will not wait for us and development is not something that you wish into existence. You must be very intentional about it.

So, our growth strategy is the one that adopts an exponential growth model. “What we proposed in the budget that you graciously passed and we signed into law is going to boost our efforts and that march to our desired destination, which is that no person or child of this state will go to bed hungry.”

In his remark and subsequent interaction with Government House correspondents, the Speaker attributed the sustenance and early passage of the budget figures proposed by the governor to the involvement of the parliament in the budget preparation.

He commended the governor for the high performance of the 2024 budget, assuring that the House would effectively exercise its oversight powers in the implementation of the budget and also provide support to the administration where necessary.