*Sonny Ekedayen*
_as Delta State Government engages Delta Citizens in a webinar_
By Civicist Rex Anighoro
In a bid to ensure greater accountability, transparency and a more robust citizens participation in the decision making processes of the 2025 budget, Delta State Citizens regardless of who they are and where they are whether at home or in diaspora were on Sunday given the opportunity to have their views heard in a three hours citizens budget engagement webinar held by the Delta State Government through the Ministry of Economic Planning, in collaboration with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Civic Engagement and Civil Society.
At the webinar, convened by Civicist Rex Anighoro, the Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Civic Engagement and Civil Society, *Mr. Sonny Akporokiamo Ekedayen, the Honourable Commissioner for Economic Planning Delta State* stated that the Delta State Government priorities the views and opinions of every Delta citizen regardless of who they are and where they are in the making of the 2025 Delta State budget, asserting that despite his office already holding a physical citizens budget engagement comprising of the organised sectors such as the traditional institutions, community leadership, clergy class, Private Sector, Women, Youths, People living with disabilities, the Civic and Civil Society actors it was highly imperative to ensure that any and every Delta Citizen who so decides to attend the webinar have their views heard in an interactive session without any restriction nor having their views gagged.
” There is nothing that can be more important than having engagement with the people whom the budget is being prepared, I want to put it out there that the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Oborevwori is a peoplecentric Governor, everything he does and thinks is on how he can impact the people…and he takes the citizens views seriously”, he alluded.
Mr. Sonny Ekedayen declared that since his appointment as Honourable Commissioner for Economic Planning, Delta State, this webinar engagement was the second cycle with Delta citizens in the making of the state budget. He declared that the Delta State budget presently being operated is performing well because it is a product of engagement with the citizens.
“In the past one year we have made some progress in our fiscal space. We have a budget of N724.9Billion for the year 2024 with N316.7Billion budgeted for recurrent expenditure which is 44% of the budget while N408.3Billion was budgeted for Capital expenditure which is 56℅ of the budget, as at half year, the revenue performance of the budget stood at N523.6Billion representing 144.4℅. For reccurrent expenditure we are at N121.8Bllion out of 316.7Billion representing 76.92% performance and for capital expenditure Government has spent N135.3Billion out of N408.3Billion earmarked, this represents 66.37℅ performance.” He called on the citizens especially those in the Civil Society to verify his claims.
Showcasing some of the achievements of the Government in the year under review, he made it known that Delta State Government has committed N5Billon in ensuring that the salaries and promotion arrears of the Delta State State Civil Servants were paid as at when due in pursuit of strengthening industrial harmony and stability in the State, he also stated that a N40Billion loan guarantee was granted the Local Governments Councils to help clear their salary and promotion arrears backlog which has strongly demoralized the civil servants. Continuing, the commissioner mentioned that the State Government has ensured the employment of 3,000 teaching and essential non teaching staff for Primary Schools, averring that the Delta State Government takes seriously the good and welfare of it’s workforce both at the State and Local Government levels.
Going forward, Mr Sonny Ekedayen, enunciated that there is a massive infrastructural development ongoing across the State especially in the Uvwie and Warri axis of the State with the engagement of Julius Berger to undertake major construction work which includes flyovers. He also made it known that the completion and commissioning of the massive State High Court Complex Asaba which construction has spanned nearly ten years was worthy of mention.
Furthermore, he stated that the Delta State Government has reduced significantly it’s debt stock from N465.3Billion at the inception of the administration to N303.4Billion as at 30th of June 2024, nothing that the reduction of N160.9Billion represents approximately 25.3℅ of the debt stock. Instructively the Commissioner opined that the Government has shown great character by not borrowing in 2024 electing to live within its means, cutting down it’s debts which includes the paying of owed contractors, pensioners and more.
Speaking about diversifying the Economy, the Economic Planner spoke about Delta State Government bold and innovative steps to harness the Green Economic Space with a view of harvesting carbon credit for sale noting that this alternative and complementary revenue sources for the state will create thousands of jobs for Delta Citizens across board.
Conclusively, the Honourable Commissioner called on the citizens to make their views known and share their thoughts on the best way forward on Budget 2025 as well as to evaluate the ongoing budget making suggestions to help Government serve the Governed better.
Notable persons in attendance at the webinar were Dr. Godknows Igali, foremost Niger Delta Statesman and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Scandinavian Nations, Sir Fidelis Okenmor Tilije, Honourable Commissioner for Finance, Delta State, Mr. Isaiah Bozimo (SAN), Former Commissioner for Justice, Delta State, Mr. Itiako Ikpokpo, former Chairman ALGON,Delta State, Civil Society leaders inclusive of numerous Delta Citizens at home and in diaspora.
